The Ultimate Trainer
by Terminatress
Summary: This is a fanfic of Ash on his own.Changed by team rocket,he has to go through a mysterious adventure to return to normal. There will be trails for him to overcome if he wants to go back home and be normal again.
1. Chapter1

Chapter #1  
  
"What on earth is the boss thinking?" cried Jessie. " Why didn't he just tell us over the phone what our new assignment was? Now to make things worse we got to get our orders from Cassidy and Butch!"  
  
"Calm down Jessie. Getting upset about it won't change anything." Growled her blue haired companion. James wasn't too enthusiastic about getting orders from Cassidy and Butch either but they had not choice.  
  
"I WON'T CALM DOWN! Cassidy did this on purpose! She's probably nice and snug inside that  
Pokemart while we're out here in the dump out back." It was a dump. There were tires, garbage, and almost anything else Meowth could think of associated with a dump.  
  
"Would yous two settle down! There's someone coming." snapped Meowth. It was Cassidy and Butch.  
  
"Yous don't think those idiots went inside the dump do you?" asked Butch to his female companion.  
  
"Jessie may be a brat but she wouldn't stoop to going into this dump." Cassidy pointed out to the dump the Rockets were in.  
  
'She's going to pay for calling me a brat' whispered Jessie. Her face turned a bright red and she snarled.  
  
'Quiet! Maybe they'll talk about our assignment and we won't have to talk to them.' growled the Meowth to his teammates.  
  
"Boy, I wouldn't want to be Jessie or James right now." Butch said gravely. " Do ya think the bosses new machine will work?"  
  
"I highly doubt it." snorted Cassidy. "Those two would be too old even if it does work. I'm just glad it's not us that's going to be the lab rats." The trio looked at each other. Lab rats?  
  
"Lets go through this again Cassidy. Once we see those three, I get to trounce James and you take on Jessie. Meowth can be let go because it's a human we need." Cassidy nodded. Butch cracked a knuckle. "Good!"  
  
"Remember. We only need to take one of them for the experiment." cautioned Cassidy  
  
"Ya! I vote it be James. That blue haired jerk had this one coming." growled Butch.  
  
"It should be Jessie. She's the younger one of those two. Besides if this experiment does work, Jessie will be easier to control than James." interrupted Cassidy. Butch folded his arms. "I'm glad that we're not expendable like those two are. Whoever the experiment subject is probably won't survive the process."  
  
"All we have to do now is wait for those losers to show up and we have fulfilled our mission." Butch leaned against the old picket fence that surrounded the old junkyard. Meanwhile in the junkyard were three very afraid rockets.  
  
'This happened because we failed too many times." wimpered James.  
  
'What are you whining about? It's me they're going to use for a lab rat!' hissed Jessie. 'There has to be a way out of this.'  
  
'We wouldn't have been expendable if yous two hadn't bundled up all the time and caught Pikachu.' growled Meowth. 'Wait a minute! That's it!'  
  
'What's it?' asked Jessie and James in unison.  
  
'The twerp!' cried Meowth.  
  
'What about the twerp?' asked James dumbly.  
  
'You idiots. Don't you see! Kidnap the Ketchum twerp and hand him over to Cassidy and Butch. He's younger than all of us, easier to handle and he's a pokemon trainer, no one will know he's missing until we're long gone' said Meowth quickly  
  
'Your forgetting one thing, Meowth.' said James.  
  
'What's that?' asked Meowth.  
  
'Those friends of his will notice that he's missing.' interrupted Jessie.  
  
'No they won't' retorted Meowth. He crossed his arms and had a smug look on his face.  
  
'Huh?' asked Jessie and James.  
  
'Whiles yous two were arguing the other day. Ash and Misty had a bit of a fight and Ash said that maybe one day he would just leave without out thems guys. That means if he suddenly disappeared they would think that he made good on his promise.' Meowth raised an eyebrow. ' So you knows we can do it.'  
  
'Hmm. Him or us?' queried Jessie.  
  
'Him!' The trio whispered together. Then the plotting rockets proceeded to make their way out of the junkyard lot and went in search of an unsuspecting boy name Ash Ketchum  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  



	2. Chapter2

Chapter #2  
  
Ash was sitting at the pokecenter with his friends Misty and Brock when team rocket found him. Ash wasn't feeling   
that he was amoung friends at that moment though.  
  
"What?! Are you saying it was my fault that Vulpix got watergunned by Staru?" Ash practically yelled at the top   
of his lungs at Misty.  
  
"Yes! If you had taken the watergun attack Vulpix wouldn't be in the pokecentre. Your such a wimp! When are you   
ever going to grow up?" Shot Misty.  
  
"I WASN'T THE ONE TO ORDER IT TO USE SUCH A POWERFUL WATER ATTACK!" Ash yelled. "Besides, you   
started it!"He retorted. Brock would have normally have stopped the fight by now but wasn't paying attention because he was   
worried about Vulpix. He was also worried about how he was going to try and ask the nurse Joy out on a date.  
  
"I did not! You started it when you stole my bike Ash Ketchum!" Ash's face started to go red. She wouldn't dare try and   
blame this on the bike issue!  
  
"Don't try to change the subject! You were the one that brought up your stupid clothing issues! Your so pig headed that   
you didn't realize that I was trying to compliment you!" Growled Ash.  
  
"Calling my clothes 'Clashing' isn't a compliment Ketchum!". Ash had originally thought that her clothes were flashy but   
Misty obviously heard otherwise.  
  
"I didn't call them Clashing!" Ash retorted  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"That does it! I'm going for a walk! I don't have to sit here and take this!" Ash grabbed his pack and stomped out of the   
pokecentre. He was in an energetic mood from arguing with Misty so he began to run. In his hurry he forgot all about a certain yellow   
pokemon licking a ketchup bottle on the table he was sitting at moments before.  
  
"Pika!" His pikachu shouted for Ash to wait up for him. He was already a good three blocks ahead of pikachu. Ash turned to  
tell Pikachu to hurry up when he felt something hit him from behind. Then all Ash knew was blackness.  
  
"We got him!"cried Meowth. "Now lets hightail it out of here!" Jessie had just hit Ash on the back of the head as he turned   
to Pikachu'c voice with a big fan.  
  
"Pikachu! Pika!" pikachu said as he ran toward his trainer. James had the balloon ready.  
  
"Get in quick! It's the twerps Pikachu!" warned James. Jessie dragged an unconscious Ash in the balloon.  
  
"We should have tried a sneak attack like this sooner." Complained Jessie. "Help me you two! He's much heavier than he looks."  
  
"Pika!" The balloon was about five feet in the air when pikachu reached team rockets lift off point.  
  
"Sorry, Pikachu, we'll have to be back for you later but, here's a present for ya." crowed Meowth. Then the team rocket trio   
began to drop bombs down. Pikachu dodged and weaved until one made a direct hit.  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu cried in pain as the bomb hit him. Pikachu looked up to see that team rocket was almost out of sight. It had   
to go get help from Misty and Brock! Pikachu turned and began to run to the pokecentre. Not caring about the traffic it ran through.   
  
Big mistake!  
  
"Beep!beep!" Pikachu turned to see a car screeching to a halt a little bit too late. Misty was looking at the commotion outside   
when she realized something.  
  
"Brock it's Pikachu! Pikachu's been run over!" The young pokebreeder sat up straight and answered intelligantly with a..  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Later....  
  
"Pikachu's conditon is very bad. It seems that it got hit pretty good in the head by that moving vehicle. It won't be conscious   
for a few days." said nurse Joy. " Where is his trainer? I thought you said Ash was a good trainer. He should be here."  
  
"Ash probably doesn't know Pikachu got hit." said Misty with a saddened look on her face. "And he probably won't be back   
for a while either. You see, we had a pretty good fight and he stormed off."  
  
"I'm sure he'll be back once he cools off."said Brock. He was worried though; Ash had never stormed off during an argument   
with Misty before.  
  
"I'll kill that Ketchum when he comes in! How could he let this happen to Pikachu?!" Unknown to the others, Ash wouldn't   
have to worry about Misty killing him; team rocket already had that planned for him.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak.  
This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  



	3. Chapter3

Chapter #3  
  
"Where are Jessie and James? They should have been here by now." growled Butch. " You don't think they could have   
gotten wise to the bosses plan Cassidy?"  
  
" I don't see how they could Butch. They're not the dullest pencils in the case but, they're not the sharpest ones either."   
Cassidy sighed. "We just have to wait for them to show up."  
  
" I won't wait here forever! Why don't we just tell the boss that they skipped town? Then they'll be branded as traitors to   
team rocket." Butch smiled. They were standing in front of the landfill between the Pokemart and bike shop. An hour had gone by and   
still no team rockets had shown up.  
  
"It's in the official team rocket guide that we have to stay here for up to dusk for other team rockets. Don't worry Butch, if   
they're not here in forty five minutes we can call the boss." That made Butch cheer up a bit.  
  
"You won't have to call the boss at all." said a voice from above.  
  
"Prepare for trouble, you brat." A red haired woman said as she jumped out of their balloon that was cresting over the dump.  
  
"And make it double, you dirty rat." Her blue haired companion chirped in.  
  
"To protect ourselves from devastation."  
  
"To be able to unit all people within our nation."   
  
"To denounce the evils of truth, love and trust."  
  
"To extend our reach to the stars above before we go bust."  
  
"Jessie."  
  
"James."  
  
"Team rocket blast off at the speed of light."  
  
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."  
  
"Meowth all right!" The team rocket trio and duo had a glare contest for about thirty second. "Lets get this over with."   
growled Meowth.  
  
"So you did get wind of the bosses plan." growled Cassidy. " I would like to know how but my curiosity will have to wait.   
So you want a battle?" she pulled out a pokeball from her pocket.  
  
"Not exactly." smirked Jessie. "You see we came up with a plan of our own. Instead of you taking one of us, you'll be taking   
someone else for the bosses experiment."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Butch.  
  
"We nabbed someone else to be your lab rat who suits the qualifications better than us." answered James.  
  
"And here he is!" Meowth dragged a very drugged (or a very sleep powdered) Ash out from their balloon.   
  
"Bravo Jessie. I didn't think you had it in you." Cassidy said smugly. " Not only do you save your own hide but you also   
committed a real crime. Imagine! the laughing stocks of team rocket kidnapping a kid."  
  
"Shut your face! It was all we could do on short notice." snapped Jessie.  
  
"We'll have to run it by the boss before we take him. You know, I almost wish that I had the chance to take you on Jessie."   
Cassidy turned to Butch. "You want to make the call or should I?"  
  
"You." replied Butch. " I'll keep an eye on the fur ball and Mr. and Mrs. Smart Alecks here. Just in case the boss says no."  
  
"Hey who are you calling a fur ball you jerk!" sniped Meowth.  
  
"Fine." Cassidy turned to walk down the street towards the phone both. Ash was put on the ground between Butch and   
the team rocket trio. Jessie was watching Cassidy while Meowth and James were watching Butch.  
  
"I like what I see." said Jessie suddenly.  
  
"Why what do you see?" asked James.  
  
"Cassidy is getting an extremely red face. That means she's upset about something and the only reason she would be upset would   
be..."  
  
"That something good is going for us!" interrupted Meowth. From the interruption he was swiftly served with a fan to the back   
of the head. They could plainly see that when Cassidy got off the phone she was extremely upset.  
  
"The boss wants them to bring in the kid." All three of the rockets in white cheered. Butch stood in mute silence. "We're   
supposed to bring them to the lab." Just then a black van appeared form out of nowhere and stopped in front of the rockets.  
  
"Get in. "Butch growled.  
  
Later..  
  
They had pulled up to a huge warehouse on the east side of town. It looked ordinary enough but one thing was different about   
this warehouse. There was too much activity going on around it for it to be a normal warehouse. There were too many people coming   
and going. Most of them had a uniform that had a great big "R" on their shirts. When walking in the rockets were ask to show their ID.  
  
"Whoah! Look it this place!" cried Meowth. "It looks bigger than your families mansion James."  
  
"Thanks for the comforting memory." snapped James. James home life was not one he liked to think about let alone speak about   
in front of the others.  
  
"This is the main temple of the famous pokelantis palace." explained Cassidy. "For years now we have been studying the   
hieroglyphics from these temple walls."  
  
"Why would team rocket do something like that?" asked James. "I thought team rocket wanted to take over the world, not   
dig up ancient artifacts."  
  
"Shut up James! She was just getting to that." Snapped Butch.  
  
"As I was saying! The hieroglyphics are a foretelling of a person with unlimited power. A person who is born once every   
three thousand years that 'can activate the gold waters to flourish the world with his power'. The key to unlocking this persons power   
is for them to dip into the silver pond of pokemon." (Annoyed Voice)  
  
"We have moved this temple from its original sight and brought it here so we can see what happens when someone who isn't  
the person takes a dip in the pool." All the rockets in the room turned to see who had spoke to them. It was their boss. Giovonni. "I want   
to make sure it is safe before I try it myself."  
  
"Your going to go into that silver sludge?" asked Jessie. The room they were all standing in was about the size of three   
football fields. There were tons of desks covered with artifacts that surrounded the perimeter of the room. Every scientific apparatus   
ever created was in that room; all stolen of course. In the middle of the room was a glass-see-through vat filled with a silver liquid.   
Leading to the vat from above were two catwalks that led to the indents in the building. The indents to the right were created for the   
rocket staff to have coffee on their breaks. There was even a cafeteria in their nice lounge. To the left however was a simple door indent;  
like there was something behind it that the scientists shouldn't see.  
  
"Only if it is safe." answered Giovonni. " Imagine what team rocket could do if we had a person with unlimited power in our ranks.   
We would have the entire world in our grasp."  
  
"Ohh! Sounds exciting! When do we see this unlimited power?" asked Jessie. She had stars in her eyes; she was hoping to get   
a bit of that unlimited power for herself.  
  
"Soon enough. That is if the kid survives the process. Only one with a heart of metal will win the power after all." replied Giovonni.  
  
"The kid? You mean Ash?" asked Meowth.  
  
"Yes. You dimbulbs did something right for a change. If that kid survives the process than anyone can. Good work. Carry on."  
answered Giovonni. He turned and walked away from the stunned rockets  
  
"He said 'Good job' Jessie!"  
  
"I heard him James." Meowth leapt up in the air.  
  
"Hooray! We finally got on the bosses good side." The trio joined hands and began to prance around the room.  
  
"Knock off the celebrating you dummies!" snapped Butch.  
  
"He'll only favour you until this project goes awire." growled Cassidy. "Then it will be back to your half pay and rations   
again." That stopped the rockets from celebrating.  
  
"What do you mean when the project goes awire?" snapped Jessie. She was right in Cassidy's face.  
  
"Uh uh!" Cassidy said. She then proceeded to get Jessie out of her personal face by pushing her nose back with her index   
finger. " It just so happens I know something that the three of you don't know."  
  
"And what would that be?" demanded Jessie.  
  
"That there is a prophecy that comes with all the information about the rite that is described on all these artifacts here." was   
Cassidy's answer.  
  
"And..?" asked Meowth.  
  
"He will have passed the trails of psychic power,  
The titans and tower.  
To reach the goals of the pokemon master,  
He will have to go through a disaster.  
His life in danger all the way,  
But to no avail, will he always stay,  
The ultimate trainer of all in the world.  
The plan is now unfurled."  
  
"Uh oh!" said the three rockets in unison. Butch grinned.  
  
"That's right! Until someone solves this riddle the power cannot be released." Then all the rockets attention was adverted   
to a commotion up above. Three other rocket members where having a difficult time with a prisoner trying to break free of their grasps.   
The five rocket members from below had been too busy arguing to notice that the room was busting with activity.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Meowth.  
  
"The experiment is about to begin." answered Cassidy. Then all the rockets in the room went silent as the leader came into   
the room. All eyes where on Giovonni as he went to the captive on the catwalk. He stopped and growled to the rockets that were holding   
the prisoner.   
  
"I thought I told you to take all of his optional cloths off. Why is he still wearing that ridiculous hat?" He directed at the   
biggest rocket.  
  
"He wouldn't give it up sir." came a panted reply.  
  
"Then take it off for him!" said the senior officer who had just entered from the right  
  
The senior officer grabbed the captive's head and brought it to his knee with a sickening thud. Hurt from the blow, the prisoner  
stopped struggling long enough for Giovonni to cast off the hat off the catwalk onto Meowths head. The three team rockets then   
realized that this was a terrible mistake.   
  
"Prepare to throw him into the vat." Giovonni ordered. Rocket scientists came from the right side of the catwalk and put some   
electric tabs on his bare arms and proceeded to wash his hair with a white substance.  
  
"What's with the goo?" asked James. To his surprise someone answered him.  
  
"All who wish to try the test must first enter with the blood of the marking, so if he be the one with the heart of metal; there will   
be no dispute for the crest shall be known to all." said Cassidy. The three rockets in white winced at these words.  
  
"Real blood?" asked Meowth.   
  
"Don't be stupid Meowth. There is an inscription on how to make 'blood of the marking'" growled Cassidy. Still all three of the  
rockets in white thought the same thing; this was wrong.  
  
'We have to do something.' whispered Jessie.  
  
'It's too late. We can't do anything to help him now.' whispered James back to his female companion.  
  
'Maybe we can't do anything but, there are people that could help him.' interrupted Meowth. He held up the captive's hat.   
Then they looked into each other's eyes and saw that they had the same idea.  
  
"Let me go!" They heard from above. The captive was trying to struggle again and was promptly hit in the head with a club.   
All they could do was watch as a young boy named Ash was dragged to the edge of the vat and was thrown in the silver liquid.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by   
Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  
  



	4. Chapter4

Chapter #4  
  
I woke up in a jail cell.....or what looked like a jail cell.  
  
The last thing I remembered was turning toward Pikachu. Then I remember blacking   
out from a very large thwap on the head. I don't think Misty could have done better if   
she tried to knock me out on purpose.  
  
"Uhhhn!" My head was pounding! It felt like a whole herd of Tauros had jumped on   
my head while I was asleep.  
  
"So you're finally awake?" The voice wasn't the familiar Jessie, James or Meowth   
from team rocket. I was pretty sure that it was team rocket that got me. Who else would   
do something like this other than team rocket? I was surprised that they actually had the   
idea to sneak up on me.  
  
"Wha?" I asked in my dizziness. Where was I?  
  
"Hmph! I can't believe that those jokes pulled this off." said another voice. I   
was right! It was team rocket that had me. I don't know anyone else who the voice would   
refer to as jokes. Wait! That means I've been kidnapped! My pokemon!  
  
"Don't move kid!" I had tried to sit up to find my pokeballs only to discover that   
my backpack was missing. I was swiftly restrained. I couldn't make out what was going on   
quite yet. Then I remembered that during the kidnapping when I turned to yell to Pikachu,  
my backpack was on one shoulder and it flew off because of my momentum into a nearby alley   
when I fell. Pikachu!   
  
"Where's Pikachu?" I managed to mumble out weakly. I was laying on a hard jail bed and  
had a female team rocket scientistpoking at me while two rocket brutes held me down.   
  
"Your Pikachu wasn't the target this time kid. The catch of the day was you." growled   
one of the brutes. I was the target?! What could they want with a kid like me?!! Sure I beat   
team rocket most of the time but, I wasn't a real threat to team rocket was I?   
At least Pikachu was safe.  
  
"He's more resistant to the drugs than I thought he would be." said the scientist.   
A voice from somewhere else in the room ordered her to double the dosage. I felt a needle  
enter my left arm and I passed out from the dizziness.  
  
Elsewhere....  
  
"He's been gone too long. Brock there's something wrong. Ash would have been here by   
now. We have to go find him!" said Misty. Brock could see that she was really worried about  
Ash. To be truthful so was he. Ash may be a good pokemon trainer but he was still just a kid.  
Anything could have happened to him by now.  
  
"Pikachu's not out of the danger zone yet Misty. We have to stay with Pikachu until   
it's out of danger. We can look for Ash later....Hellooooo Officer Jenny (hearts in his   
eyes). What brings a beautiful doll like yourself down here? Look as soon as I finish here   
maybe you and I could discuss this over dinner? OUCH!" Misty had removed herself from her   
perch to take ahold of Brocks ears.  
  
"Control your hormones Mr. Heart Eyes. Pikachu's in trouble and so is Ash when he   
comes in!" Officer Jenny had a very concerned look on her face.  
  
"Did I just hear that a friend of yours is missing? Would you know his backpack if   
you saw it again?" she inquired. Officer Jenny held up a familiar green backpack.  
  
"THAT'S ASH'S! What are you doing with it?" demanded Misty.  
  
"I was afraid of this. It seems your friend Ash has gotten himself into some kind   
of trouble. We found this backpack in an alley not too far from here. It seems that none   
saw what happened. I think we have to presume he's been kidnapped." Misty and Brock   
shared a look of absolute horror." I want you to tell me what happened today. Everything!  
You understand?" The two kids nodded.  
  
"This is all my fault if I hadn't got into that argument with Ash this would have   
never happened." wailed Misty as soon as everything was explained.  
  
"No this is my fault. If I was paying attention things wouldn't have gotten out of  
hand and Ash wouldn't have stormed out of here." said Brock.  
  
"So you guys think that team rocket did this?" asked Officer Jenny. They both nodded.   
Just then Nurse Joy came out of the E.R.   
  
"Well?" asked Brock.  
  
"Pikachu's going to live but as I said before, it won't be conscious for a few days.   
It was lucky to survive at all. Is his trainer here yet?" The group before her was silent.  
  
"We think something happened to Ash...."  
  
Meanwhile..  
  
When I awoke again I was fighting for my life. When I was semi-conscious, I heard what   
they were planning to do to me. Something about an experiment that they were going to see   
if I survived or not. Quite frankly, I wanted to live. I struggled as they stripped me of   
my jacket, pulled me towards the door, and as they tried to take my hat and finally succeeding   
at it. I would have to remember the guy that got me with such a dirty shot. He was going   
to pay for that.  
  
"Prepare to throw him into the vat." I heard the one called Giovonni order. Hands   
went through my hair. It was an very unpleasant experience with the headache I now had.   
That's when I heard a familiar voice.  
  
"What's with the goo?" It was James. It was all the familiar team rocket that I had   
encountered from all of my adventures. They were watching this from below. It was Cassidy   
that answered him.  
  
"All who wish to try the test must first enter with the blood of the marking, so if   
he be the one with the heart of metal; there will be no dispute for the crest shall be known   
to all." Cassidy? Cassidy and Butch were here as well! I could see it in the three rockets   
eyes. James, Jessie and Meowth thought that this was wrong but they couldn't do anything   
about it.  
  
"Real blood?" Meowth asked. It was obvious by his tone that he was very nervous. Cassidy   
snapped her reply.  
  
"Don't be stupid Meowth. There is an inscription on how to make 'blood of the marking'"  
I winced. I didn't want to know what they were doing to me. I saw the strangest thing   
happen next. All three of the rockets began to whisper. They weren't going to try and   
help me! I decided to make one last effort to reach them.  
  
"Let me go!" I yelled with as much strength I could muster. Then another thwap on the back   
of my head rendered me semi-conscious again. I could feel myself being dragged somewhere.   
Then I felt it for the first time; the silver liquid of the pond of pokemon.  
  
A little later...  
  
"Come on! We have to lead the twerp's friends here. You two slowpokes stop waddling   
and hurry up!" snarled Jessie. All three of them were running in the maze of the warehouse.  
  
"Slow down Jessie. We're lost." stated James  
  
"Hmpfh! Figures! We only get lost at the worst possible times." puffed Meowth.  
  
"Ha! I found the exit!" gloated Jessie. It was a no brainer; in front of them was a   
red door that said 'EXIT'. Once outside the rockets had to come up with a plan.  
  
"So how are we going to do this Jess? How are we going to get the twerps friends into   
one of the most secret team rocket headquarters of all time?" asked James.  
  
"That's the simple part. Once they see us they'll assume that we have him. Then when   
we run they'll chase us." said Jessie  
  
"Yeah and with da twerps hat in position like dis." Meowth interrupted. He had just   
shoved the hat in-between the EXIT they had just come out of. "They'll look into it. Meowth!"  
  
"Don't ever interrupt me Meowth when I'm on a role." snapped Jessie. She let Meowth drop  
to the floor after stretching out his cheeks to ten times their normal size.   
  
"I get it. Brilliant! We don't get our hands dirty and still look like the bad   
guys." said James.  
  
"Now this will only work if we do this right." said Jessie.  
  
At the pokemon center five minutes later...  
  
"Prepare for trouble,"  
  
"And make it double," you know the rest of it.  
  
"It's team rocket!" growled Brock. Misty immediaty leapt from her seat and began   
to shake all three of the rockets by their collars.  
  
"What have you done to Ash?"  
  
"Meowth scratch attack." panted Meowth; scratching Misty's hands to get free of the  
death grip she had on all of their shirts. Before anyone else could attack a red pokeball  
was thrown into the fray.  
  
"Go Vulpix! Flamethrower attack!" shouted Brock. "Quick Misty! Get out your pokemon.   
They're after Pikachu while they have Ash out of the way."  
  
"Go Staru! Watergun!" a pokeball was thrown and a star shaped pokemon was flung out   
in a blur of red.  
  
"VULLL!"  
  
"HYA"  
  
"You kids can't do this alone. Growlithe! Ember!" shouted Officer Jenny.  
  
"GROWLLLLTH!"  
  
"Think we got their attention?" asked Meowth.  
  
"Oh shut up Meowth." snapped his partners. "Make sure that they follow us or this   
will be for nothing."  
  
"Roger!"  
  
"Team rocket retreat!" they all shouted suddenly.  
  
"Get back here!" shouted Misty. The group from the pokemon center ran after the rockets.  
  
Later...  
  
"Looks like we lost them."   
  
"No!" Misty was beating her fists against a nearby wall. "How could we let them get   
away?!! They knew where Ash was!"  
  
'Look to your left you airhead redhead.' whispered Meowth. They had run all over   
town leading them to the rocket headquarters. They weren't going to let them just waste   
all that hard work for nothing.  
  
"Misty look! It's Ash's hat." Brock ran over to the EXIT door and yanked it open.  
  
"I bet he left it here for us to find." said Officer Jenny.  
  
"Then he has to be in there." Misty started to charge into the building. Before she   
could get through the door, Officer Jenny grabbed her.  
  
'Alright, lets go before things get dicey.' whispered Jessie to her cohorts. They all   
nodded and crept through the underbrush until they were a safe distance away.  
  
"No! If this place is run by team rocket, we need backup. I'll call the entire area   
for help. We could be over our heads if this is their headquarters."  
  
"But Ash could be in danger!" said Misty.  
  
"He'll be in more danger if we just charge in there without a plan." Officer Jenny   
snapped at Misty. " Wait here while I call for help."  
  
"Brock we go to do something!" Her eyes began to plead for his help.   
  
"Sorry Misty but, I agree with Officer Jenny on this one. We're over our heads on   
this one. Best wait for help and then charge in." Brock leaned against a wall.   
  
"I've got an idea! Let's use Ash's pokemon as our backup. They won't take this sitting   
down! Quick! Give me his backpack before Officer Jenny comes back." pleaded Misty  
  
"They'll also be upset about Pikachu. Without Ash here, the stronger ones won't   
listen to us." stated Brock. "It's too risky."  
  
"If you won't help him than I will!" Misty began to reach for Ash's bag.  
  
"Hey!" said Brock. Then a dust fight broke out between them and the bag anime style.   
  
"What are you two doing?!" yelled Officer Jenny. She was back from radioing for help.  
  
"Give me Ash's backpack!" growled Misty.  
  
"No! You'll only make things worse!" retorted Brock. A tug-a-war broke out between the   
angry friends. During the tug-a-war, a pokeball fell from one of Ash's side pockets from his   
bag. A creature that had been watching the fight between the two saw its chance.  
  
"Mew!" The creature said as it scurried out from it's hiding place and snatched the   
ball before anyone could react. All they saw of the creature was a white blur. The surprised   
friends stopped fighting for a moment and looked at the spot that the mysterious creature   
had just disappeared to.  
  
"Did you just see that?" asked Brock.  
  
"What kind of pokemon was that?" asked Officer Jenny in awe.  
  
"Whatever it was, it took one of Ash's pokeballs!" exclaimed Misty. "He's going to   
kill us." she wailed. The creature was now watching from the roof of the building behind   
them. It was still waiting for its chance.  
  
"They'll be here in ten minutes. So get ready." reported Officer Jenny.  
  
"Who?" asked Misty and Brock.  
  
"Every Growlithe squad from every town for twenty miles. It seems your little troup has   
a reputation for helping out the law. Every Officer in our vacinity leapt at the chance to   
help us once Ash's name was mentioned."  
  
"That's our Ash! Always ready to help others. Let's just hope that Ash can hold out   
until then." Brock said with hope. There was more hope now than ten minutes ago and he wasn't   
about to let this hope fade.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated   
characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my   
mind only.  



	5. Chapter5

Chapter #5  
  
AIR! Ash's lung demanded. He had been thrown into the vat of grey liquid. Ash knew he was in trouble. The alien   
substance was too warm and he felt so tired all of a sudden.  
  
'No!' Ash thought. 'I won't give in. I won't let them win. I'll die before I breathe in this stuff.'  
  
"Look Boss! The kids holding his breathe." said the scientist. "Fool! he'll have to breath sometime. It's amazing though, he's   
still fighting after all those drugs." The boy was indeed a fighter observed Giovonni. Even though he was out numbered, a captive and   
hurt; he was still fighting them. Not that it would do any good but, it made Giovonni wish that he had found the abilities of this kid   
sooner. It was too late now. The boy was kicking and punching the walls of the vat to no avail though.  
  
"He won't be able to hold out for long. When he dies, mutates or something tell me; I'll be in my office." With that, Giovonni   
turned and left the boy in the scientist's hands.   
  
'I'll die before I help team rocket.' Ash was struggling against an invisible barrier that had just suddenly appeared. The wall was   
between Ash and the surface of the vat. He could feel his heart beating slower and slower...  
  
'Stop that!' said a voice.  
  
'What?' asked Ash in his mind to none. He had thought he had heard a voice.  
  
'Your hurting yourself. Stop that! Breathe you numbskull!' said another voice.  
  
'What's going on?' Ash thought again. There was no way that there could be voices inside the vat with him!  
  
'It is alright. You're among friends now. It is safe for you to breathe. Trust us.' said another voice. It was a smooth voice that   
had a melodious tone to it. Since the voice sounded sincere Ash decided to trust it. He took in a breath. To his utmost surprise, Ash   
breathed the alien air like regular air. With his eyes still shut Ash began to breath at a normal rate.  
  
'Ok what's going on here? Who are you?' Ash asked. To his surprise, was answered by yet another voice.  
  
'You're with us now. No one will ever hurt you again.'  
  
'Wait a minute!' demanded Ash. 'Explain this to me. I've been kidnapped by team rocket, tossed into a vat filled with a grey liquid   
and now I'm hearing voices. As far as I'm concerned this day couldn't have been worse. What's going on here?!'   
  
'The matters on which you were put through to get here are irrelevant. All that matters is that your finally here with us.' said a   
gruffer voice.  
  
'The test is about to begin.' stated another voice  
  
'WHO ARE YOU THEN AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN TEST?!!!' asked Ash. His patience had finally snapped.  
  
'Silence. The test begins.' said another voice.  
  
'Ash. We need you to open your eyes. You must see this.' said the melodious voice from before that asked him to breathe.  
  
'I want some answers first!' demanded Ash.  
  
'Open your eyes and you shall have your answers.' said another voice Ash had not heard before. It was stronger and less kind   
as the last voice but, it also sounded sincere. Ash didn't know what to expect when he opened his eyes and what he saw totally blew his   
mind away.  
  
'Where am I' Ash asked. He was no longer in a grey slime but, in a blackness that surrounded him and seemed to support him. He   
could see different lights in the distance like stars but weren't stars.  
  
'Welcome to The Pond of Pokemon young master.' said another voice. This time the voice seemed to come from everywhere.  
  
'The test now begins' said another voice. Suddenly! a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck Ash.   
  
'Ahhh!' Ash screamed. Then there was silence. Ash looked down at his body. It didn't look any different. He wasn't smoking or  
even in pain. Then a scene came from the blackness. It was Ash when he was saving Charmander. Then it shifted to when Ash saved   
Squirtle from team rockets bombs. Then all the heroic deeds that Ash had done in his entire life flash on the screen. Saving Pikachu from   
team rocket, helping people out left and right and then the greatest adventure of them all; when he met Lugia. Then the scenes faded to   
the most terrible times in his life. Being teased by Gary, fighting with Misty and getting tricked by team rocket when he was a rookie. Ash   
had been watching for quite some time before he passed out from being overwhelmed by what was happening around him.  
  
'There is no doubt of his kindness. He passes the first test.' said a large voice.  
  
'He learns from his mistakes and lives with them.' said another voice.' He passes the second test.'  
  
'He is always trying to do what he deems best.' said the melodious voice.' He passes the final test.'  
  
'He is the one.' said all the voices together.  
  
"Giovonni sir! The kid is at a stable condition." came a voice over a telephone.  
  
"What?!" Demanded Giovonni.  
  
"It's the kid! He-he he's stable." said the voice again. The voice was unbelieving and astonished.  
  
"Unbeleivable!" said Giovonni. The kid was going to survive the process. That means that the power was his. Too bad the   
kid was going to have to die though. Inside the vat was a young boy in a protective position; his knees were to his chest and his arms  
were wrapped around his legs.  
  
'What happened' Ash asked. He opened his eyes to look around and found that he was in the deepest blackness that he had   
ever experienced in his entire life.  
  
'It is about time you woke up.' said a mysterious voice.  
  
'It is time for the gift.' said another.  
  
'What gift?' Ash asked. He suddenly remembered where he was. 'Let me go. I don't want the gift. I just want to go home.'  
  
'It is because that you don't want the gift that you must have it. You will not abuse it because you fear the gifts power.' said   
the large ominous voice.  
  
'Who,No!What are you?' Ash demanded, quivering in the darkness.  
  
'We are the essence of all the beings of pokemon in this world young one. You are to be the one who will bring us closer   
together. You shall be the Ultimate Pokemon Master. Come, it is time to prepare you for the time ahead.' said the large voice.  
  
'Why me? Why not someone more worthy than me? I can think of so many more people more deserving than me.' Ash asked.   
Ash still didn't understand that yet and he couldn't figure it out on his own.  
  
'You are the one destined to be the ultimate trainer. Your intentions are true and your heart is strong. There can be no other   
more worthy than you.' said the melodious voice.  
  
'Prepare yourself young one, this is going to hurt.' said a large and ominous voice.  
  
'What are you going to do to me?' Ash asked. Before he could get his answer his entire body was engulfed by a bright, burning light.   
  
"Giovonni Sir! It's an emergency! THE COPS ARE OUTSIDE!" boomed a voice over the telephone.  
  
"Impossible! There's no way they could have found us." Giovonni roared. Just then a large explosion shook the building.   
Giovonni growled a deep growl and calmly spoke into the P.A. system. "Now hear this. This building is on auto-destruct sequence in   
five minutes it will blow sky high. If you value your lives, meet at point B. This is the Boss speaking. Evacuate to point B now!" Giovonni   
took a key that was on a chain around his neck and opened an unmoving book on his desk. The book was actually the self-detonating   
device he had installed. He put the key in and turned it.  
  
"WARNING!" was a phrase that was repeated over and over again and was accompanied by red lights. Giovonni then pressed   
a button underneath his chair and the floor began to drop. It was his own personal escape system. At the utmost basement he found a   
secret tunnel his Golem had dug for him as well as an escape vehicle. Giovonni jumped in the car and was accompanied by his favorite   
Persian. Beside him on the seat was a portable phone. He drove out of the tunnel into the daylight and opened a very large hole in the   
middle of the road. The mysterious pokemon now saw its chance. It leapt into the hole and like a homing beacon, it headed straight into   
the labs direction.  
  
"Come on! We have to find Ash!" yelled Misty. She was running through the rocket facility with about three Officer Jenny's   
and Brock hot on her heels.  
  
"There's only three minutes until this place blows." growled Brock. The fact that they might not find Ash in time was beginning   
to scare him. It was too big a building!  
  
Give the order to drain the tank." ordered Giovonni. He was talking to the head scientist at the lab. He had just quick dialed   
his personal cell phone number.  
  
"But sir! That will kill the subject!" growled the scientist.  
  
"Do it! I will not let the years of research fall into the cop's hands. That means the subject too." roared Giovonni. There was   
silence at the other end of the line for a moment.  
  
"Sir! You're not going to believe this!" came a voice over the phone.  
  
"What is it now?" snapped Giovonni. This didn't sound like good news.  
  
"I turned the drainers open but-but-it IT DIDN'T DRAIN THE POND!' answered a very scared scientist. "The drains are wide   
open but not a drop moved. Not only that but a-a-a OHMYGOD! Something's happening sir! The subject! He's.....changing!"  
  
"WHAT?!" roared Giovonni. For the first time in his life Giovonni, leader of the criminal syndicate Team Rocket, was scared.  
  
"Brock look!" shouted Misty. They had just turned the corner to see the mysterious pokemon that took Ash's pokeball. It was   
still clutching it in its tiny little paws. It had a slender body and beady blue eyes. It had a long tail and a light purple body. It was floating   
as if it could defy gravity. It was easily one of the most beautiful pokemon that any of the group had ever seen before.  
  
"Mew!" was all it said. It then began to float down the hall.  
  
"Wait!" shouted Misty. She then began to chase after the unknown pokemon.  
  
"Misty! Stop!" yelled Brock after her. Then he and the Officer Jenny's began to chase after the pokemon and Misty. Brock found   
Misty around the next corner looking down at something through a glass window.  
  
"The pokemon went right through the glass Brock! It-it was trying to help us! Look!" said Misty to her rushing companion.  
  
"What are you talking about.....?!!" The last part of his sentence had trailed off. "Misty!!!!!!!!!" he suddenly yelled.  
  
"I knew we would find him!" It was Ash! He was inside of a strange vat of grey see-through liquid. He was alive but, he didn't  
look too good.  
  
"Watch out!" yelled an Officer Jenny. "Growlithe. Flamethrower!"  
  
"Growlithe!" There was a rush of fire and the glass was gone. Misty collected herself and stepped onto the catwalk. They   
heard a voice from below.  
  
"But sir! That will kill the subject!" growled the scientist. He was on a phone talking to someone. Whatever the other person   
said made the scientist uneasy and then the scientist proceeded to push some buttons on a machine. He then suddenly stopped and   
went pale.  
  
"Mew!" said a voice from above. They all looked up to see the mysterious pokemon again. It was circling the top of the vat.   
Pokeball still in hand. "Mew!" it said again. It came to a stop in front of Ash's face and put it's head on the glass as if it wanted to hug   
Ash. "Mew, me-ew, mew, meeew!" it said softly.  
  
"Sir! You're not going to believe this!" said the scientist. He was still looking at mew.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Misty to none but herself.  
  
"Forget the pokemon! Let's get Ash out of here before this place explodes!" snapped Brock.  
  
"I turned the drainers open but-but-it IT DIDN'T DRAIN THE POND! The drains are wide open but not a drop moved. Not   
only that but a-a-a OHMYGOD!"said the scientist into the phone.   
  
"Oh! Right!" The small group ran out to the vat only to be blinded by a bright light. When the light vanished there was an   
unconscious Ash at the bottom of an empty vat, an unconscious rocket scientist and a very surprised group of rescuers at the top of   
the catwalk.  
  
"What just happened?" asked all three Officer Jenny's.  
  
"Two minutes until destruction." interrupted a monotone voice over the P.A.  
  
"Quick! Grab Ash! We've got to get him out of there.... Misty look!" shouted Brock suddenly. She turned and looked down at   
her friend and it took her a second to realize what was wrong. She had an very unconscious BLONDE friend at the bottom of the vat.   
Two of the Jenny's leapt down into the vat and grabbed Ash and began to lift him out.  
  
"AAAAA!" Misty shouted in absolute horror. "What happened to his hair?!" Misty asked as she turned to help the Officer Jenny's.  
  
"We can worry about that later. We need to get out of here NOW!" said Brock.  
  
"Which way do we go?" asked one of the Officer Jenny's. Then everyone realized that they couldn't remember the way out again.  
  
"We are in soooo much trouble." said Misty. Just then, the mysterious pokemon came from behind then and began to push the   
Officer Jenny's carrying Ash.  
  
"It wants us to follow it! Lead the way mew!" Brock said suddenly.  
  
"Mew!" was its reply. Mew then turned and began to streak down a side corridor.   
  
"Thirty seconds to self-detonation." said a monotonous voice over the P.A. It then began to count the seconds to its destruction.   
" twenty nine-twenty eight-"  
  
"We need to find a way out of here now Mew!" yelled Misty to the pokemon leading the crew.  
  
"Mew, me-ew, mewww!" It stopped and waited for them to catch up. "Meeww!' it said happily as Mew saw the EXIT in sight.   
It was down the hall. They were going to make it.  
  
"Uhhn." moaned a voice suddenly. All heads turned to the limp form that two of the Officer Jenny's were carrying. Ash was   
becoming conscious again!  
  
"Look we found the EXIT." said a very loud but familiar voice (Ash's POV). It was Brock! They came for him! He was finally leaving   
this awful place. Although his head was banging and he felt like someone had plugged him into a light socket for about an hour or two, he felt   
safe. The voices had kept their promise. What ever they did HURT A LOT!  
  
"Ten seconds to destruction-nine-eight-seve" Destruction?!! Ash did not like the sound of that. He was roughly banged by a   
door on the right side of his body. Then he remembered the feel of the sunlight on his face before he was flying through the air.  
  
"RUMMMMBLE!KABOOMMMM!" The explosions had erupted from behind them. Ash was sent flying through the air by the   
explosion. He mentally braced himself for impact only to find himself suspended in mid air!  
  
"What's going on?" Ash heard a familiar female voice say. Misty? Ash opened his eyes to see through bright yellow hair a   
strange yet beautiful pokemon in front of his face holding one of his pokeballs. This made no sense to Ash at the time but, Mew was   
holding him up with her psychic power.  
  
"Mew!" was what all the people present at this strange occurrence heard come out of Mew. What Ash had heard was something   
totally different. What Ash had heard the pokemon called Mew was "Master."  
  
"Wha?" Ash asked dumbly. At the sound of Ash's voice all the pokemon in the vicinity repeated what Mew had said.  
  
"Master." Of course it came out differently to all the other people present. Some heard their pokemon say Growlithe or Vulpix   
but what Ash heard was what they were really saying.  
  
"Mew, mew mew me-w me mew me-ew mew mew mew me-ew m-ew." said the little pokemon. She held up the pokeball. Ash   
didn't know how he knew it was a girl but he did. What Ash had heard from the female Mew before him was. "I would be honoured if   
you would accept me as one of your pokemon, Master."  
  
"Ash!' gasped another voice. It was human not pokemon. Ash couldn't move his head an inch to see who was addressing him.   
It was female so he assumed it was Misty.  
  
"What is your answer?" asked the pokemon. Ash smiled and tried to speak but no words would come out. Instead he nodded his   
head. "Then take your pokeball and capture me." Ash couldn't lift his arms; he was so very weak from the experiment that he couldn't move   
on his own.  
  
"Ohhhh!" said everyone who was watching the scene take place. Mew had floated over to Ash's hand and placed the ball in his   
hands.  
  
"I will help you." said Mew. Everyone else still didn't know what was going on. They couldn't understand Mew because they   
weren't Ash. Ash could understand every word that Mew said with his newfound abilities. Ash's arms moved on it's own and he threw  
the pokeball at Mew like he would any other pokemon. A stream of red light and the power holding up Ash was gone.   
  
"Uhhn!" Ash collapsed on the street while the pokeball hit the pavement at the same time. Ash was unconscious while the   
pokeball's middle button glowed a red and then stopped. In the entire recorded history of all nations of pokemon; this was a first.   
Ash Ketchum was the first person ever to catch a Mew but, was unconscious so he could not celebrate his victory. Then something   
even more amazing happened. Ash's hair turned back into his regular hair colour; black.  
  
"Ash!" screamed Misty. Before the young girl could get to Ash's side the pokeball with mew in it suddenly began to glow.   
The ball jumped up from its placement on the sidewalk and attached itself to Ash's backpack and then his entire backpack began to   
glow as well.  
  
"What?" asked Brock. Brock was the one holding Ash's backpack at the time. Then the backpack stopped glowing and to   
everyone's surprise, all of Ash's pokeballs had a new pattern on the outside.  
  
"Now that was weird." commented Misty. Ash was unconscious but, even in his sleep his determination had control over his   
dreams.   
  
"Pikachu." Ash mumbled in his sleep while the emergency personnel took him away.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"Pikachu! Pika-chu! Pika!" At the pokecenter a certain electric mouse pokemon had woken up and was trying to find it's trainer.  
  
"Please lay down Pikachu! Pikachu listen to me." That was Nurse Joy trying to calm pikachu down. "I know you're worried about   
Ash but, you have to lie still. You need your rest!"  
  
"Pikachu! Pika pikachu." was all the pokemon could say. Translated: "Ash! I'm sorry." Unable to contain the frantic pokemon, nurse   
joy was forced to take drastic measures.  
  
"Sing!" Then a pink, round pokemon entered the room and began to sing a relaxing lullaby to Pikachu.  
  
"Pika-pika chu." Pikachu under the spell of the song fell fast asleep.  
  
"That's better." said nurse Joy as she left the room.  
  
"Pika pika chu!" said pikachu in his sleep. Translated:" I've lost him."  
  
Later at the town hospital.  
  
"We want to interview the kid who captured mew."  
  
"Hey! I'll pay one hundred bucks to get his picture."  
  
"I'll make it two hundred!"  
  
"Three!"   
  
"Four!"  
  
"Enough!" screamed Officer Jenny. "The kid is resting and under police protection. That means no reporters or photographs.   
Now move along! This is a hospital, not a news room."  
  
"Hey!" said all the reporters as one. Officer Jenny had her police for push the reporters onto the sidewalk.  
  
"And don't come any closer!" ordered Officer Jenny. Her patience was short because of all the news crews around here lately.   
Word had spread fast that Mew had been caught by a young boy who was kidnapped at team rocket at the time. It would make a career   
for the person who interviewed him but, Ash was in no condition to be talking to reporters. That reminded Jenny; Ash's mother was due   
to arrive any minute. Just then a boy came running by Jenny; he had a camera around his neck.  
  
"Let me through. I have a friend in there." he said as one of Officer Jenny's police force stopped him.  
  
"And just who might this friend be?" asked the officer.  
  
"His name is Ash Ketchum and all I know that he's been hurt. You have to let me through." insisted the boy.  
  
"Hold it! I'll take it from here officer." said Officer Jenny. There was a good chance that this boy was one of Ash's friends. Ash's   
name had not been released to the media yet so the boy couldn't know that it was Ash who caught Mew. She then escorted the young man   
to the front desk.  
  
"Thanks." said the boy cheerfully. "Officer Jenny?" he asked. "What's with the media outside. You would think it was a mayor   
dying in here with all the news people."  
  
"You don't know?" asked Officer Jenny.  
  
"Know what?" demanded the boy.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough." was her reply. It confused the boy for a moment, but he shrugged it off anyway.  
  
"Officer Jenny!" said a voice to their right. They both turned to see Nurse Joy holding a pokemon. "I have what you wanted."  
  
Room 404...  
  
"Uhnn.. My head.." Ash had finally woken up and wasn't feeling to good about it.   
  
"Ash! Your alright!" squealed Misty. She hadn't moved from her perch from Ash's bedside in three hours. There was a blanket   
over her and Ash's backpack was beside her. Misty promptly threw her arms around Ash and gave him a great big bear hug.  
  
"MISTY!AIR!" Ash croaked.  
  
"Oh! Sorry..." Misty said sheepishly.  
  
"How ya feeling champ?" asked Brock, who proceeded to muss his hair.  
  
"Terrible!" mumbled Ash.  
  
"Look who I got!" came a voice from the door. Now it was Ash's turn to squeal.  
  
"Pikachu!" Ash said happily. Then stopped. "What happened!" he demanded to Brock and Misty. Pikachu was in terrible condition.  
  
"It was an accident Ash. Pikachu was so worried when you were kidnapped that it ran out into the street and..."Misty had trailed   
off at the end of her explanation.  
  
"Oh Pikachu." said Ash softly. Nurse Joy put down the sleeping pokemon on Ash's lap. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Ash are you ok?" asked a familiar voice.  
  
"Snap! What are you doing here?" asked Ash. In the doorway was a friend he had made on his pokemon adventures.   
His camera ever ready to take pictures hung around his neck and his features were the same as ever.  
  
"I was in the neighborhood and got a call from the professor that you got hurt. I came as soon as I could."  
  
"Thanks for the support." Ash said gratefully. Just before anyone else could say anything a red haired doctor came in.   
  
"Hi! I'm Doc Jeffery. I'm Ash's doctor here. I need to talk to my patient alone for a moment please." Everyone left the room.  
  
"What's up doc?" (where have we heard that one from before?)  
  
"I have good news and bad news. It seems to me Ash that the only thing you suffered from this whole ordeal is a few blows   
to the head and some withdrawal from the drugs team rocket gave you. The bad news is that we can't figure out what they did to you in   
the lab. Can you tell me anything about your experience?" Ash had to think for a moment.  
  
"I can't remember much about being in the lab but, I do remember being rescued. That's all I can tell you right now." said Ash.  
  
"So your telling me you don't remember much of the ordeal?" insisted the Doctor. This was good news to the doctor. Giovonni   
would be very pleased to hear that.  
  
"Yeah. I know it sounds stupid but, I don't even remember being captured by team rocket in the first place." Ash didn't know how  
he knew but, he knew this wasn't someone to trust. He could remember everything in vivid detail, including the part about hearing voices   
in the vat.  
  
"I'll say this for you; your one lucky kid boy." With that being said, the doctor turned and left the room. Before he left though he   
ordered Ash to get some rest.  
  
"Can we go in?" asked Snap.  
  
"Let Ash sleep for awhile. He's had a difficult day." said Jeffery.  
  
"You can stay here at the hospital in the lobby overnight. I'm sure Ash's mom will be relieved to see some familiar faces when   
she arrives." said Officer Jenny.  
  
"It's best if we get some rest too. Come on Misty." said Brock. Misty allowed herself to be led away from her spot outside of   
Ash's room.  
  
Later.....  
  
"Pika?" said a very sleepy pokemon. Then the pokemon took a look at where it was and who's chest it was sleeping on. "Pikachu!"   
it cried happily as it threw it's tiny arms around the boys chest.  
  
"Hmm? Pikachu?" The hug had woken the boy up.  
  
"Pi!" Ash's face brightened up and then drifted back into sleep. Then Pikachu noticed that Ash was different. A memory came   
back to him from when he was a young kit.  
  
Flashback Translated.  
  
"Mommy what do you mean by Ultimate Trainer?" asked the kit.  
  
"There are creatures that are called people in this world. As things stand now, people and pokemon are only close in relationships that   
involve the trainer or person being dominate over the pokemon. One day a person will change all that. The Ultimate Trainer will bring   
pokemon and people closer together by inspiring millions to do what he does." said the nursing mother.  
  
"How?" asked the curious kit.  
  
"He will be bonded with us in essence. He will be close to any pokemon that he comes in contact with and if your one of his pokemon,   
you would be one of the most powerful pokemon in the world."  
  
"Why?" asked the kit again.  
  
"Because the Ultimate Trainer will teach you how to be strong. You may not see this in your lifetime so you needn't worry about it.   
What you need to worry about is what kind of trainer you'll have when you get older."  
  
"I don't want a trainer! I want to do what I want to do; not what some person tells me to do. I won't listen to any trainer!"  
  
"One day things will be different, you'll see." said the mother comfortingly.  
  
End Flashback.  
  
'Are you that trainer?' wondered Pikachu before it fell into a deep sleep.   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by  
Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only. 


	6. Chapter6

Chapter #6  
  
"We want to see mew! We want to see mew!" chanted a large group of people outside the hospital where Ash was in.   
He was in no condition to go anywhere yet but, he felt that it was time to leave. He had his normal clothes on now (hat included)and   
Pikachu in his backpack. He was tiptoeing out of his room in anime style and took a peek out into the hallway. They hadn't let Misty,   
Brock or anyone else in his room since his mother had visited last night. Ash winced at the memory.  
  
"Ash!" the doors to Ash's hospital room were swung open and revealed a young, frantic mother.  
  
"Mom! I'm O.K. You won't believe..Hey!" Ash was interrupted by the hug his mother had him in. She began to sob and hugged   
him even tighter when he protested that he was fine.  
  
"You're going to be fine, alright. I'm not going to let you out of my sight again. This won't ever happen again! You're coming   
home with me this instant!" Ash was shocked by his mother's words. He was in the middle of a league! His mother couldn't pull him out  
in the middle of a league.  
  
"Mom! I'm alright! You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. I don't want to.." Ash was interrupted by someone else.  
  
"I think it would be best if you went home Ash." said Brock from the doorway. Misty, Snap and Officer Jenny were standing in   
the doorway as well.  
  
"What!!? Brock!!" Ash managed to sputter out. He was interrupted again by a female voice this time.  
  
"He's right! You should go home for a while. Ash, you nearly got killed yesterday! You need to take a break from pokemon   
training for a while." Misty nearly yelled at Ash. For a moment Ash could have sworn that he had seen tears in her eyes.  
  
"If I have it my way, he won't ever be pokemon training again!" said Mrs. Ketchum. With that said,  
the room went dead silent.  
  
"Mom, there's no way that I'm giving up on pokemon training." Ash stated flatly.  
  
"Oh, yes you will. I'm not losing my only son to a pokemon journey! You're coming home and you're staying at home and that's   
final." Ash tried to block out the memory. There was no way that he would give up his one true passion. Even if it meant that he lost his   
mother over it. It also meant that he would lose his best friends over it too. Ash knew he wouldn't be able to travel with them anymore;   
they would just try to drag him back home. It hurt so much that Ash didn't want to think about it, so he put his mind to the task at hand.  
  
"How do we get out of here?" asked Ash to himself. He began to think. Out the window wasn't an option. He couldn't get past   
the crowd that way. He couldn't go out the door either. Too many Officer Jenny's that knew his face.  
  
"Pika!"Pikachu answered Ash's question for him. The pokemon had climbed out of his trainer's pack and was pointing at the air   
conductor. They could go through the circulation system! It led outside and there wasn't a chance of being seen by anyone.  
  
"Thanks Pikachu! Now how do we do this?" Ash began to search for something that would undo the screws. He found a butter   
knife on the table. With the knife in hand he jumped on a nearby chair and began to unscrew the guard on the air conductor. Once he had   
three unscrewed, Ash jumped into the circulation system and put the cover back into place.  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu didn't like it there. It was too scary and dark for the pokemon's preference. Pikachu then leapt out of Ash's   
backpack and began to sniff around.  
  
"Quiet Pikachu! If they hear us, we'll be going back to Pallet permanently." Ash began to crawl after his furry companion.   
They had crawled for what seemed like forever when Pikachu stopped over a vent.  
  
'Pika!' Pikachu whispered for Ash to come over and watch what was happening. Ash crept closer and found that in the room   
below was his Doctor. Normally that wouldn't have bothered Ash but, it was the people that were in the room with him that gave cause   
for alarm. It was team rocket.  
  
"The kid's in room 404. You're sure you know what to do? Giovonni said no mistakes." said Jeffery. The person who replied   
was Butch.  
  
"We don't make mistakes unlike some people here." growled Butch. Jeffery scowled.  
  
"I might have not found what effect the pond had on him but, you won't even get near him dressed like that." said the scientist   
bluntly.  
  
"We have our own plan on how to get rid of the brat. We don't need tips from old timers like you pops." gloated Cassidy.   
  
"Time to execute the kid." said Butch with a sigh. "I don't like it but, someone's going to have to do the dirty work." The pair   
then walked out of the room. Too bad their plan wasn't going to work. Ash was going to make sure of that.  
  
'Come on Pikachu, time to go.' Ash whispered to his pokemon. The trainer and pokemon silently crept away from the vent and   
began to go into another direction. They seemed lost for a while but, found themselves looking at sunlight once they had turned another   
corner.  
  
'Pikachu!' said Pikachu gleefully. It was finally time to get out of the hospital and out of the circulation system.  
  
'Quiet!' Ash ordered. They both crept closer to the cover and peeked outside. The only thing they saw was a one-story drop   
down and a brick wall.  
  
'Pika?' Pikachu asked. They weren't about to drop one story were they? Ash looked at his pokemon and sighed.  
  
'We may have to Pikachu.' Ash undid the cover and peeked his head out. There wasn't anyone there. They must've went around   
to the back of the hospital. When the pair had dropped down to the ground, Ash winced in pain. He was still in terrible condition.  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu said in worry. Ash then promptly covered the pokemon's mouth expecting to be swarmed by his mother, Brock,   
Misty or anyone else. When none came he let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Let's go before team rocket discovers I'm gone Pikachu." Ash picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulders and proceeded   
to walk down the alley. When he was about five blocks down he heard a commotion come from the hospital.  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu wondered what was going on.  
  
"Looks like we got out of there just in time Pikachu." With that being said, Ash and his pokemon went and bought supplies for   
the trip ahead of them. He had never been so paranoid in his whole life. When the cashier at the food mart tried to start up a conversation,   
it made Ash very uneasy. The only topic on her and supposedly everyone else's mind was Ash.  
  
"Can you imagine? A kid get's kidnapped by team rocket and then captures a mew? Either that kid's made of steel or he's extremely  
lucky." said a girl behind a counter to her shopping friend.  
  
"I think it would be great! The rarest and most valuable pokemon on the planet at your disposal. It would be like finding the winning   
lottery ticket on the sidewalk." said the friend.  
  
"Hey, what do you think?" The girl had addressed Ash. He had caught the last snippet of information on his way to pay for his food.  
  
"Me? Uh...well. I think it would be cool to capture a mew." Ash said nervously. He didn't let on that he was the lucky kid they were   
talking about.  
  
"Yeah! I bet it would be da bomb! The stardom, the fame, the pokemon matches and not to mention the people." said the friend.  
  
"I bet that kid is going to have a hard time beating the girls off. The kid will probably be named Pokemon Champion of the year." said  
the cashier as she began to ring through Ash's parcels.  
  
"Not only will he be popular, but rich too. I can see it now: Mew the Movie. A story of how a young trainer conquers team rocket   
and bravely captures a mew. It would be an instant classic. I bet anyone could live on the royalties for the of their life." said the friend.  
  
"Thank you, come again." said the cashier. Ash put everything in his backpack outside the store and began to walk. He had emptied   
his savings account and transferred it to another one. There was no way that Ash was going to have his mother freeze his money on him to   
try and force him to come home; he couldn't have that. He also got out all of his pokemon from professor Oak. Ash had made this lame excuse   
that he wanted to reassure that everything was alright. Ash was in luck because Oak hadn't heard about the commotion at the hospital yet.  
  
"Well Pikachu, looks like we're on our own for the time being." Ash began to walk in the direction of the next town with a badge in it.   
Then in front of him was a fork in the road. He checked his pokedex and found his upgraded map system.  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu asked from his shoulder. His bag was too full to care Pikachu in because of all the pokeballs.  
  
"Looks like we go this way Pikachu." Ash took the road to the right. He had traveled for about five hours when he had to take a   
break. Ash was so tired and he wasn't fully healed yet.  
  
'I bet everyone's having a cow over where I went to.' Ash then looked at his pack again. 'Or where mew went to.'  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu suddenly stood up and had its ears back on its head. Ash knew what that meant; danger.  
  
"What's there Pikachu?" Ash asked. The electric pokemon jumped up on the nearest tree branch and looked into the bushes over   
to Ash's right. It was a Rapidash. It was casually walking over to Ash.  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu was completely confused. A Rapidash usually ran, not walked casual.   
  
Translation  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Pikachu to the walking pokemon.  
  
"Is your trainer with you?" asked the fire pokemon. Pikachu looked at the Rapidash incredulously. It couldn't figure out why he   
wanted Ash.  
  
"So what if he is?" asked Pikachu. The Rapidash kept right on walking in Ash's direction. Pikachu leapt out of the tree and onto   
the ground in front of Ash." That's far enough!" growled Pikachu.  
  
"Greetings Master." said the fire pokemon suddenly. Pikachu was confused. Why did this pokemon call Ash his master?  
  
"Master? You want to be one of Ash's pokemon?" asked Pikachu. Pikachu couldn't figure out what was going on.  
  
"You will address him as Master." said the Rapidash sternly. "He is, after all, the Ultimate Trainer." with that, Pikachu sat down   
with a thump.  
  
"Ash?" Pikachu looked up at his trainer and suddenly noticed something that Pikachu hadn't noticed before. Power. Ash had   
the power to control any pokemon; no matter wild or trained, angry or hurt. If Ash wanted something done by any pokemon, the pokemon  
would do it. It was like Pikachu's mother had described, he will be close to any pokemon he has contact with.  
  
"Didn't you realize it at his coronation? Every pokemon for miles felt it. Right now I've been sent to carry him on his journey.   
He has a long way to go if he is going to bring pokemon and people closer together." said the Rapidash.  
  
"I just realized now." Pikachu replied. "But I don't believe it."  
  
"Hey Pikachu. What's going on?" Ash asked his pokemon.  
  
"Why can't he understand me? If he is the Ultimate Trainer, why doesn't he understand my words." Pikachu demanded from   
the Rapidash.  
  
"He's not at full power and he's too new to his abilities yet. Climb on my back to show that it's OK. We have a ways to go tonight."  
  
"Alright. I'll do it." Pikachu muttered. Pikachu then jumped on the fire pokemon's back and began to Pika for Ash to join him on   
Rapidash's back.  
  
End Translation.  
  
"You want me to get on the Rapidash?" Ash asked his pokemon. He almost had a heart attack when Pikachu jumped up without   
any warning.   
  
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded his head and made a patting motion on Rapidash's back.  
  
"Ok, I'll trust you." Ash slowly approached the pokemon and got on it's back. Ash sighed with relief that he didn't get burned like   
the last time when he first approached a Ponyta. Before Ash could do anything else, the fire pokemon began to tear through the trees at an  
alarming pace. "Whoah!" This was the only way to travel.  
  
Meanwhile.  
  
"I can't believe that team rocket tried to kidnap Ash again." growled Misty. There had been an attempt on Ash's life around three   
in the afternoon. What was worse was the fact that Ash had somehow gotten wind of the news and made a jailbreak. Team rocket didn't   
even get close to Ash's room but when they entered to see if Ash was woken up by the racket they had created out in the hallway, they  
discovered him and Pikachu gone.  
  
"He probably had a good reason to run. Maybe he thought that if he stayed that mew would be in trouble." suggested Brock.  
  
"No, I know the reason why he left." interrupted Snap. Everyone looked at the young photographer.  
  
"Why?" asked Mrs. Ketchum  
  
"I'm afraid it was your fault Mrs. Ketchum. You threatened to keep Ash at home and never let him train again." Before Snap could   
continue, he was interrupted by Mrs. Ketchum.  
  
"Ash knows that I said those things because, I was worried about him. He knew not to take me seriously." she added as quickly as   
she could.  
  
"Ash was on drugs at the time. He could have not been thinking straight and thought that you meant those words." continued Snap.  
  
"What bothers me is the fact that he got out of this hospital without anyone knowing about it." interrupted Officer Jenny." We had   
the entire area guarded and there was no way he went out the window with that crowd out there. How did he do it? That's what I'd like to   
know."  
  
"Stop focusing on how he did it and find him!" yelled Misty.  
  
"Calm down Misty. Yelling won't solve a thing. We'll just have to go out and look for him." said Brock. He was worried about Ash.   
This time there wasn't only team rocket after him but an entire world after him now because of mew.  
  
"I hope he's alright" muttered Misty to herself.  
  
Midnight  
  
Ash was not alright. He was uncomfortable and tired. Pikachu and him had been riding most of the night and he was most certainly   
uncomfortable. He didn't get any sleep because of the speed that they were traveling at and yesterday's activities had worn him out.  
  
"Pikachu. Ask Rapidash when we stop. I'm tired and we both need some sleep." Ash yelled to the Pikachu that was riding on the   
fire pokemon's head.  
  
"Pikachu Pika-pi?" Pikachu asked the Rapidash. The reply that Pikachu relayed to Ash was soon. Ash sighed and kept hanging   
on for dear life. The Rapidash was still going at the same pace that it had been when the journey first started.  
  
'Oh well. Beats walking anyway.' Ash thought. A little while later the Rapidash came to a complete halt in front of a huge flock of   
Butterfree. Rapidash was easily captured and wasn't sent to Oak to Ash's surprise. He now had seven pokemon with him and he naturally   
thought that it was odd but ignored it. Ash went over to the nearest tree and sat under it.  
  
"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked. Ash had taken out some of the food from the pack and began to shovel it down.  
  
"Here you go Pikachu. I didn't forget about you." Ash had unwrapped a parcel of dried pokefood and gave it to Pikachu.  
  
"CHU!" Pikachu said and began to devour its food. Ash picked up his pack and looked at Mew's pokeball.  
  
'I'm beginning to wonder if you're worth all this trouble' Ash thought to himself.  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu asked. Ash sighed and put the pokeball away in his pack. Ash put his arms around his head, pulled down his hat   
and fell fast asleep. For some mysterious reason, the Butterfree began to move closer and closer to the tree Ash was sleeping under. A flash   
of light and a moan escaped from Ash; his hair had become blonde again. Unknown to Ash there was a visitor on his way to meet him. Not   
only had Ash met this pokemon before but it also had let Ash ride him before. The pokemon had known from the very start who and what   
Ash was; after all there can only be one chosen one.  
  
Elsewhere at point B  
  
"How could you fail! You're the best field agents out there!" demanded Giovonni. The two very uncomfortable team rocket members   
in front of him were trembling.  
  
"It wasn't our fault boss." sobbed Cassidy.  
  
"Yeah, the kid disappeared on us. He left without anyone seeing anything." interrupted Butch. With that, Giovonni slammed his   
fist down on the desk.  
  
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES! This is too important to botch up. You, find that kid and bring him to me. DEAD OR   
ALIVE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" roared Giovonni. The frightened pair winced and replied.  
  
"Yes Sir!" Then the two team rockets turned to dash out the door only to be stopped at the sound of the bosses' voice.  
  
"One more thing, the rockets that originally kidnapped the boy will be working with you from now on. They are to be your superiors.   
Understood?" Cassidy froze and turned pale. Butch did the same.  
  
"Ye-yes Sir!" Cassidy managed to croak out and the pair left the building.  
  
"I don't believe this!" roared Butch.  
  
"I know! Failing at one job was bad enough but Jessie, James and Meowth as our superiors!? This is an official disaster." growled   
Cassidy. She looked back at her feet and began to kick the rocks that were at her feet; wishing that it was Jessie or James. Then, Cassidy had   
an idea. "Butch!"  
  
"What?" he snapped.  
  
"We could work on our own to capture the kid! We don't have to tell those idiots that we have to work together. We could just tell   
them to find the kid then phone us to take over." said Cassidy. Butch visibly brightened up.  
  
"That's a great idea. One problem, where's Jessie, James and Meowth?" wondered Butch out loud.  
  
"Right here!" came a voice from behind them. It was Jessie. "Prepare for trouble,"  
  
"And make that double,"ect ect...You know the motto.  
  
"You listened in?" growled Cassidy.  
  
"Of course we didn't. We get orders from the boss too you know!" snapped Jessie.  
  
"We're not thrilled at the prospect of working together either so we thought we would cut the deal." said James.  
  
"Yous guys stay out of our way and we'll catch the kid like last time. We don't wants yous guys to get in da way of our progress."  
said Meowth.  
  
"The only progress you dimwits get, is the progress through a bag of donuts. Fur ball!" growled Butch.  
  
"Why you! Come ere and I'll show you a fur ball with fangs." snarled Meowth.  
  
"Enough! It's settled then? You stay out of our way and we stay out of yours?" said Jessie. Cassidy and Butch did the huddle   
and discussed the matter. When they got out of it Cassidy was the one that spoke.  
  
"Yes. The first one to the Ketchum kid wins. Good luck incompetents. You'll need it!" With a laugh, Cassidy and Butch went down   
the street while two rockets tried to restrain their female partner from charging down the road.  
  
"We'll capture Mew first and then the boss won't care about the Ketchum kid." snarled Jessie. That was their plan; steal the Mew   
to make the boss happy so he'll forget all about Ash.  
  
"First, we got to make sure that they don't capture Ash before we can get Mew though." said James holding onto one arm.  
  
"And that means we have to go look for them now!" added Meowth. Jessie calmed down and jumped into the team rocket balloon.  
This was going to be a long trip but, it shouldn't be a problem. Ash was always easy to find; they were always tripping over him when you   
least expected it.  
  
Meanwhile at a very expensive hotel..  
  
"RING, RING, RING!" demanded a telephone.  
  
"Alright one minute!" growled a very sleepy voice. The telephone had buzzed for the last five minutes straight.  
  
"RING, RING, RING!" was the machines reply.  
  
'Who would be calling me at this time of night?' wondered the red-haired boy.  
  
"Hello?" he said sleepily into the telephone.  
  
"Gary! Where have you been?" It was gramps! Why would he be calling at this time of night?  
  
"What's up?" he asked sleepily.  
  
"What do you mean What's up? Haven't you been watching the news?" Gary hadn't been watching the news. He had been in a   
very difficult battle at the gym in that town and he lost. He had went straight to sleep from the sheer difficulty of that match.  
  
"No, why? Should I have been watching?" Gary asked sleepily.  
  
"If you were watching five minutes ago, you would have learned the identity of the person who caught that Mew not too far from   
where you are and you would have also learned that he is missing." said Oak.  
  
"NO WAY!" shouted Gary into the receiver. The whole reason that Gary was here was that he had heard about the amazing capture   
yesterday. He wanted to meet the person who caught the Mew and have a battle with him; just to see how he measured up.  
  
"Yes and I want you to find him. Gary? Gary?" Gary had put on his cloths and rushed out the door. The only way he was moving   
on is if he beat that gym leader and got the badge. Gary had to do that as quickly as possible so he could be free to search for the Mew   
capturer. You only needed four badges in this league to compete. Gary already had three. Three hours later, Gary had returned to the hotel   
in triumph. After which he realized what he had done to the professor and phoned back his grandfather.  
  
"Sorry to run out on you like that, so WHAT'S THE KIDS NAME?!!" Gary couldn't contain his excitement. The name he heard was   
one he was NOT expecting. Gary fell silent.  
  
"Gary are you still there? Gary?................... Kids today!" with that the proffesor hung up.  
  
"Ash?" Gary whispered.  
  
Back in the forest  
  
"Pika?" Pikachu was awakened by a pokemon coming out of its ball. It was Mew!  
  
Translation  
  
"Something wrong Mew?" asked Pikachu. Mew stared up at the sky and didn't reply. "Mew?" asked Pikachu again.  
  
"Tell me something, what is Ash like? As a person I mean. I don't know any humans and it's difficult to think that I have a   
master now." asked Mew suddenly. Pikachu didn't hold back his smile and grinned.  
  
"Ash is a very brave and noble person. Right now he's going through a tough time so you should see it in him soon." Mew gave   
Pikachu a concerned look.  
  
"Why would I see his qualities soon?" asked Mew. Pikachu laughed.  
  
"No matter what Ash does, he always seems to get himself in trouble. The very first time I met him, I wouldn't listen to him. Just the   
same as all the other pokemon, he earned my trust and friendship twice over." Mew looked back at the stars again and sighed. "Hey, you ok?"  
  
"I-I'm finding it difficult to not be able to fly around as I used to and having fun. That's what I used to do." said Mew sadly.  
  
"Hah! You can be as free as you want to be with Ash. He gives the pokemon a choice on whether they stay in their pokeball or not. I   
think he might make an exception in your case though." said Pikachu bluntly.  
  
"Why?" asked Mew.  
  
"Oh, it's just your so rare and all. Ash might want you out of your pokeball more often so it won't be as easy for people to steal you."  
said Pikachu.  
  
"Explain." Mew asked Pikachu.  
  
"The chance of someone stealing your pokeball and escaping Ash's notice is less than the chance of him noticing that you're   
not in front of him anymore." Pikachu said then yawned.  
  
"I see. Very clever." said Mew. Then Mew turned to the stars again and sighed. It was the last stars of the night. Dawn was   
coming soon.  
  
"Best we get some sleep. Ash will want to travel some more tomorrow and that means potential danger." That got Mew's attention.  
  
"Danger? Do you not realize who he is? Ash is the Ultimate Trainer. The only danger he'll be in now is the potential danger of   
being swarmed by girls." said Mew.  
  
"Wrong!" Pikachu had suddenly turned around and said. Mew was taken aback and jumped a few feet in the air and hovered."  
Ash is in more danger now than ever. Team rocket is after us, his mom threatened to keep him under lock and key and every lowlife in the  
world will be after you."  
  
"You still do not understand the length of Ash's power's do you? He is the Ultimate Trainer! Every pokemon in the world wouldn't  
let anyone touch him if he doesn't want to be touched. He commands all pokemon; not just us." said Mew.  
  
"He may command all pokemon, but he doesn't command people and people are more dangerous than pokemon." retorted Pikachu.  
To that, Mew had no reply. "We should get some sleep. Ash will want to move on in the morning."  
  
"I'm not going back in my pokeball if I don't have to." said Mew. Pikachu climbed onto Ash's sleeping form against the tree.  
  
"Then help me keep him warm." Pikachu then made room for Mew on Ash's lap. Mew hesitantly jumped onto Ash's lap and fell fast   
asleep.  
  
'That's not a bad idea Pikachu. I will keep Mew out of her pokeball.' Ash thought before he fell back asleep. The pokemon had not  
noticed the their young master's hair had returned to a blonde color and he growing blonder. The Butterfree had found their way over to   
Ash and were now nestled in a group at Ash's feet.  
  
'That's right. Get some sleep young Master. You will have a long and difficult day ahead of you tomorrow.' The other pokemon had   
arrived. It looked at the sleeping trainer and pokemon and decided to let them rest. Instead of waking them up as soon as it got there as it had   
originally planned; the pokemon went to the nearest lake and dove in for a sleep. It would sense his presence as soon as he woke up.  
  
Morning  
  
"Yawn! Good morning Pikachu." said Ash has he had woken up to the sunlight. He had actually woken up to when Mew decided   
to go back into his pokeball so nothing would look suspicious. That was an hour ago.  
  
"Pika!" said the yellow mouse by a very small built fire. Ash stopped for a minute and tried to make sense of what he was seeing.   
The Butterfree that they had seen the night before were in a circle around Ash. It was as if they had waited for Ash to wake up. Pikachu was   
over by a small fire that Ash didn't build. Something was out of the ordinary as Ash looked on to this scene.  
  
"What's going on Pikachu?" asked Ash. It wasn't everyday that you woke up to a flock of Butterfree at your feet. Pikachu didn't   
reply right away but did something instead. Pikachu marched over to Ash and took off his hat.  
  
"Pi-Pikachu pika." was Pikachu's reply as it ran over to a lake with Ash's hat in mouth. Ash was really confused until he remembered   
the last day's events.   
  
"Hey! Give me back my hat." said Ash as he pursued his pokemon. Ash laughed as Pikachu stopped at the waters edge to wait for   
his trainer. Pikachu was making faces at Ash. Ultimate Trainer or not, this was still Ash and he needed cheering up.  
  
"Pi pi kachuuuu." said Pikachu in a you can't catch me voice. Ash laughed and forgot all about his problems as he tackled his   
mischievous pokemon. Just then Ash's hair turned blonde again. Pikachu stopped wrestling and stared at Ash.  
  
"What's wrong Pikachu?" Pikachu didn't answer but pointed to the waters edge. Ash thought that there was something in the   
water so he raced to see what Pikachu was pointing at .What he saw was his reflection with a twist. "MY HAIR!!!!!!!!" Ash wailed as he   
looked into a blonde reflection of himself. Pikachu started to laugh so hard it was rolling on the ground with tears coming down its red   
cheeks. "This isn't funny Pikachu!" Ash growled.  
  
"T-T-That'swhatyout-t-think!"said an unfamiliar voice. Ash turned to see Pikachu pointing at Ash holding one arm on its stomach   
and one in the air mocking him.  
  
"What?" Ash said in shock. Did he just hear what Pikachu was saying or was it his imagination playing tricks on him? Then it hit him!  
  
"Y-Y-Youlookrediculious!" said the unfamiliar voice again and Ash watched as Pikachu went down hard on the ground again.   
This wasn't funny anymore, Ash was hearing Pikachu talk and not in the normal poke-language. What made it worse was that his own   
pokemon was teasing him about how he looked!  
  
"Hey!" Ash said irritated. "I don't look ridiculous! I-um-well, just look different that's all!" said Ash to his now shocked Pikachu.  
  
"You understood me?" asked Pikachu in a very surprised voice. Ash rubbed his head and groaned.  
  
"I've got a headache." Ash than sat on the ground and rubbed his temples. He had hoped that the last few days were nothing but   
a bad dream but, he knew that it was very real. There was no Brock, Misty or team rocket so it confirmed what happened. He was on his own.   
"I can see that this is going to be a very trying day."  
  
"No kidding! How am I going to get away with all my comments about you now to all the other pokemon? This is really going to be a   
drag!" That got Ash's attention.  
  
"What to you mean 'comments'?" Pikachu then whistled a tune and began to walk in another direction. "Come' ere you!" Ash   
laughed as he proceeded to swoop Pikachu up from his little I-didn't-say-a-word-walk and began to tickle him. "What have you been saying   
huh? huh?"  
  
"SSTOP. OK! OK! I GIVE!" said Pikachu after a few seconds of tickle torture. Ash released Pikachu and grinned.  
  
'Maybe this won't be such a bad thing after all.' Ash thought. Then he realized something; he had to get to the next town for the   
next badge! If he didn't get there and soon, he wouldn't be able to battle! His mom probably has the entire population out looking for him   
in a few days and he needed some space.  
  
"We best get going Pikachu. On to the next badge!" Ash's stomach then growled."...and maybe to the next breakfast joint as well."  
Pikachu began to laugh anew at Ash.  
  
"Same old Ash!" was Pikachu's comment. Then Ash remembered that he still had very yellow hair and looked at what Pikachu   
was holding.  
  
"Gimme back my hat! There's no way that I'm going into town like this!" Ash said as he reached out to take his hat back. Pikachu   
had a nasty thought and began to run.  
  
"Catch me if you can Ketchum! Then we'll see if you can have your hat back." said Pikachu over its shoulder at Ash. Ash then   
remembered something else; Mew.  
  
'That can wait until later.' thought Ash as he trailed after a Pikachu that was calling him some very naughty names.  
  
"Slowpoke! A Slowbro can move faster than you!" said Pikachu.  
  
"Oh yeah! We'll just see about that!" retorted Ash as he began to run after his pokemon. The Butterfree that had watched over   
the young trainer took to the sky to escort him out of the forest without his knowledge. Also unknown to Ash, he was being watched   
every step of the way by the mysterious pokemon from last night.  
  
'Keep him safe Mew for the time being. I will return when he needs me.' With that, the pokemon disappeared into the sky.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by   
Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  



	7. Chaptr 7

Chapter7  
  
"Pikachu! Look!" exclaimed a startled voice of a young pokemon master. Pikachu surveyed the scene of the city before him. Of all the cities that they had ever been to this was the biggest. It went on for miles! The only thing that Ash and Pikachu could see was tall buildings and a lot of people.  
  
"Kolbind city. The city of dreams. So large it is home to three pokemon centers and two gyms which are constantly in competition." Sang out a computerized voice. Ash had pulled out Dexter.  
  
"Pika!" Ash turned his head in surprise.  
  
"Pikachu. I couldn't understand you right now!" Ash's pokemon looked up at him startled.  
  
"Pika?" Ash was puzzled until he tried to move a hair away from his face. It wasn't yellow anymore!  
  
"Pikachu I figured it out! I can only understand you when my hair turns yellow. Boy, THAT'S a relief."  
  
"What? That your hair can turn yellow on a moments notice?" Ash sighed. His hair was yellow again.  
  
"No, that I can't understand you all the time. We're going to have to do something about my hair though, before we do anything else." Pikachu jumped up onto Ash's head. It was turning from blonde to black and back again.  
  
"Maybe we should just dye your hair blonde? Pika chu pika pi pikachu anyway." Ash shook his head.  
  
"Could you repeat what you said last Pikachu? I didn't catch that." Pikachu gave a grin and snickered.  
  
"I said it would look better that way anyway. Yellow is a very fashionable color." Ash laughed a bit and argued.  
  
"You're just saying that because you are yellow."  
  
"No, I'm saying that because of your mother." Pikachu retorted. Ash went silent. Pikachu was right of course but he didn't want to think of that right now.  
  
"I wonder why my hair is going blonde anyway? Is it a side effect of what team rocket did? Or am I going blind?" Pikachu gasped in surprise. Pikachu remembered that Ash still didn't know what was going on!   
  
"Umm.. Ash? We need to talk."  
  
In the City  
  
"I can't believe it!" growled Jessie. "We've been wandering around all night and no sign of the twerp."  
  
"Figures. The twerps show up when we least expect it and when they're not wanted. When you go to look for them, they disappear without a trace." Said James.  
  
"Quit flapping your gums and get back to work." Snapped Meowth. "No trainer can resist this tournament. The prize is the king at the next festival and a mystery pokemon."  
  
"The twerp won't be able to resist." Snickered Jessie. Team rocket were in vender outfits and were serving the trainers as they went by into the stadium.  
  
"This plan is foolproof! We first find him then we bust up the tournament to get Mew." Meowth was handling the main stand.  
  
Shut up! Here comes a customer." Meowth was serving a very familiar trainer.  
  
"What do you want girls? It's my treat." Gary called back to his fan club.  
  
"Hey, Isn't that the snob?" whispered James to Jessie. "You know, the one that gives Ash such a hard time?"  
  
"You know, I think for once you're onto something." Smiled Jessie. "I'm almost tempted to blow our cover to steal his pokemon." She snickered.  
  
"Thank you come again." Said Meowth. Meanwhile, in Gary's mind were some upset thoughts.  
  
'I can't believe Ash is missing. My rival finally surpassed me and then he goes missing.' Gary put on his mask and rejoined his fans.  
  
"Here you are girls!" Said Gary as he passed out the drinks.  
  
"Gary! Gary! He's the coolest  
He'll put the others to the test!  
Yeah Gary!" Gary had a bit of a sweatdrop form on the back of his head.  
  
'I wonder if Ash is all right. Anything could happen to him now that he has Mew.'  
  
The forest  
  
Pikachu was explaining what the Ultimate Trainer was. Why Ash had Yellow hair, why the pokeball pattern and why he could understand Pikachu. Ash was sitting on a log trying to listen to Pikachu's story. It was overwhelming! Ash couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ultimate Trainer? What it really meant was slavery in Ash's mind. Command all pokemon? Did they have a choice in it? Probably not.  
  
"I've heard enough! Pikachu, is there anyway I can become normal again?" Pikachu was shocked at his friend's outburst.  
  
"Not that I know of." Sighed Pikachu. "Why? You finally have achieved your dream. You're the worlds greatest pokemon master." Ash looked Pikachu in the eye.  
  
"I had a hard enough time being the chosen one in the orange islands. Now I'm the Ultimate Trainer? What's next? Ruler of the universe? No thanks! I wanted to be a pokemon master but, not the Ultimate Trainer!" Ash growled and fell off the log backwards.   
  
"Ash!"  
  
"I'm fine." Ash said in a quiet voice. His back was on soft grass, his arms were behind his head and Ash stared up at the sky. "Pikachu come here for a moment."  
  
"You're not Ok are you?" Pikachu had jumped on the log and was looking into Ash's eyes. Ash had tears coming down his face.  
  
"I never wanted this to happen." Ash's voice cracked. "Pikachu? Promise me you won't leave me. I can't stand losing you too over this."  
  
"I'll never leave you Ash." Pikachu had crept from his perch and laid his head on Ash's chest.  
  
"Thanks Pikachu." That was all they said for a moment. Ash stared at the sky while clouds passed and the trees made shadows on the trainer and pokemon. Then a pokemon popped out of its pokeball.  
  
"Ash? We should go now." Mew stared Ash in his eyes. The pokeball had opened over Ash's face and Mew was hovering in Ash's personal space. Before Mew could move, Ash smiled and asked something that had been bothering him lately.  
  
"Why did you decide to come to me?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Why did you decide to be one of my pokemon? Is it just because I'm the Ultimate Trainer? Or did you become my pokemon because you liked me?" Insisted Ash. Mew hovered blankly over Ash.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ash sighed and sat up.  
  
"Did you become one of my pokemon of your own free will or did something force you to be my pokemon?" Mew hovered to the side to let Ash sit up.  
  
"Guess you'll never know 'cause, I'm not telling you." Ash gave out a groan.  
  
"What are we going to do with you? I can't just bring you into town like that. We'll be mobbed for sure and I sure can't battle you."  
  
"That's where my physic power comes in. What kind of pokemon have you always wanted? Has to be around my size though." Ash thought for a moment.  
  
"I always wanted a dragon pokemon but I guess it's your choice." Ash gasped as Mew began to glow. There was a brilliant flash of light as Mew changed. It wasn't like Ash's transformation inside of team rocket but more like a changing of an outward shell. The shell began to change and warp itself into something that looked familiar to Ash. A nearby trainer with a Pikachu at his side saw the light and began to run.  
  
"How's this?" Asked the now changed Mew to Abra. Ash took a look at the pokemon before him.  
  
"Not bad! By the way, what attacks do you know? I can't battle a pokemon if I don't know its attacks."  
  
"Physic, Recover, Triattack and Hyperbeam in this form." Ash gave the Abra a once over and was impressed. Ash lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"In this form? You have more than one?" Before Abra/Mew could answer, a trainer crashed through the bushed.  
  
"Richie?" Ash gasped in disbelief. Before him was another friend he had met on his pokemon adventure.  
  
"Ash! Are you Ok? I saw a bright flash of light and-Hey! Is that Abra yours?" Richie was still Richie; just as wild about pokemon as Ash was. Ash gave Richie the biggest smile he could muster and replied.  
  
"Sure is! I just caught it a little while ago. How are you Richie?" Ash held out his hand and Richie shook it.  
  
"Just fine! Was your Abra responsible for that light we saw a little bit earlier? Sparky and I came to check it out."   
  
"Ahh, he he, Yeah. That was Abra here." Ash said as he put one arm behind his neck and sweatdropped. Richie was suspicious of Ash's behaviour because he was acting like he was hiding something.  
  
"So what were you two-"  
  
"Pika!" Pikachu interrupted.  
  
"Sorry! Three doing here? Training?" That's when Richie noticed something. "Ash, where is Misty and Brock? Don't they travel with you wherever you go?" When Richie saw Ash's face fall, he knew he had hit a sore spot.  
  
"I-I don't want to talk about that right now. What brings you to these parts? Going out for the pokemon league here?" Richie laughed and gestured to Sparky on his shoulder.  
  
"Nope, Sparky here has to go to a specialist in Kolbind." Ash looked at the Pikachu on his shoulder. The only thing out of the normal was the tuff of hair that resembled Richie's hair and the Pikachu's red cheeks were more red than normal.  
  
"Something wrong with its cheeks? They look a little swollen." Richie looked a little startled at Ash's inquiry but, then remembered that Ash had a Pikachu of his own.  
  
"Yeah. For some reason Sparky here is having a hard time with his electricity sacks. The best thing that Sparky can come out with is a thundershock attack." Pikachu leapt into Ash's arms and then onto Ash's hat to speak with Sparky.  
  
Translation  
  
"So, what happened to you? You look like you're holding tennis balls in your mouth." Asked Pikachu to Sparky.  
  
"I overdid an attack and I can't seem to get any electricity to come back into my glands. Does it really look that bad?"  
  
"It could be worse. You could look like you're holding basketballs in your mouth instead." Pikachu and Sparky laughed. Sparky suddenly stopped laughing and held it's cheeks.  
  
"Ohhh! Don't make me laugh. It hurts to laugh." Pikachu made a face.  
  
"It never hurts too much to laugh." Sparky mimicked Pikachu's face and began to laugh again. Ash and Richie both laughed about the way their pokemon were acting.  
  
"You may be right about that. I feel better already." Pikachu smiled and began to get caught up in some gossip. Totally ignoring their trainers, Pikachu began to tell the story of Ash being the Ultimate Trainer. While Pikachu was telling Sparky about the situation, Ash and Richie were setting up camp.  
  
"So here we are. Mew is actually Abra and Ash is on the run from his closest friends and team rocket.   
  
"You're kidding! Ash is the Ultimate Trainer?! Does he have the mark? This could just be a team rocket trick."  
  
"The mark?" Pikachu said dumbly and then remembered the hair problem. "You must mean his hair. Yes, it changes from black to blonde on a moments notice. It's really funny because of the way he acts; you would think someone had tried to kiss him or something." That made both pokemon laugh.  
  
"He panics that much?" Laughed Sparky.  
  
"Yeah. It's really funny to watch." Just then the two boys came back with an armload of firewood each and Abra. Sparky remembered what Pikachu said about Abra being Mew and got nervous fast.  
  
"So how do you say hello to such a rare pokemon?" whispered Sparky. Pikachu smiled and jumped onto Ash's hat.  
  
"Easily, just walk up and say hello." What Pikachu failed to recognize was that his sudden perch on the trainer's head made Ash lose his balance.  
  
"Pikachu! I have an armload of firewood I would like to put down before I drop it on my foot." Pikachu jumped off and watched as Ash began to drop the firewood. Before the load could topple on Ash's foot like he predicted; an aura of purple light helped him regain his balance. "Thanks Abra."  
  
"You're welcome Ash." Said Abra telepathically.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sparky." Said Sparky nervously as he held out a paw to Abra. Abra took Sparky's paw and shook it. "Is it true that you're really a Mew in disguise?" Abra gave a psychic laugh and nodded.  
  
"Yes I am Mew. Pikachu told you everything then?" Sparky nodded. "Good! Then tonight I would like you to help me with something concerning Ash. Sparky shifted uncomfortably on his seat on the ground.  
  
"What kind of help would a Mew need? I'm sure you can handle it." Mew laughed.  
  
"You'll see what type of help I'll need tonight and why I need your help."  
  
Translation off   
  
"You ready to tell me why Misty, Brock and you split?" Asked Richie. It was something that had been bothering Richie all day. They had agreed to go into town together for the tournament Richie had heard about and go for the gyms later on. Ash had not been his usual bright and cheery self Richie noticed and it was killing him not to know what was going on. They were eating dinner around the fire and their pokemon were eating too.  
  
"It wasn't Brock or Misty. I-I sort of left." Ash started quietly.  
  
"Waaa?" Richie almost fell off the log he was sitting at. "YOU left THEM? Why?"  
  
"I'm telling you this because you're a fellow pokemon trainer and you can understand my feelings. It wasn't their fault, more like my mothers." Richie looked at Ash as if he was from another planet.  
  
"What would your mother have to do in this?" Ash closed his eyes and took a deep breath to gather his courage.  
  
"She practically forbid me to train pokemon anymore and wanted me to go home." Ash went silent for a moment before continuing. "I know that if I left with Mist and Brock, eventually they would drag me home. I can't have that." Ash felt a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up Richie was there with a sympathetic smile.  
  
"I understand Ash. I don't know if I could just walk away from friends like that though. You should call them in town to let them know that you're all right. That way they can have peace of mind." Ash hadn't thought of calling them from afar. Richie gave a winning smile to Ash and held up a thumb.  
"Why don't we travel together for a while? Just until you're back on your feet. That sound OK?" Ash wiped away a tear that was threatening to fall.  
  
"That sounds great to me." Pikachu, Sparky and Abra gave an applause in the background.  
  
"I guess it's settled then." Smiled Richie. The pokemon gave a yell of approval and Pikachu climbed onto Ash's back onto his shoulder. Ash, for the first time in the last two days, felt happy.  
  
"Richie?"  
  
"Yeah Ash?"  
  
"After I phone everyone, can you umm.. errr.. oh heck! How are you at dyeing hair?"  
  
The next day at the hospital.  
  
Ring! Ring! Ring! A phone was demanding that someone pick it up. A person at reception picked up the phone. The person that appeared on the phone was a young boy with black hair, a black shirt, a white and blue over jacket and was sporting an official pokemon league hat.  
  
"Hello? Is Delilah Ketchum there?" asked the boy to the receptionist.  
  
"May I ask who is calling?" asked the blue haired, fingernail painting nurse joy look-alike.  
  
"Tell her that it's her boy calling."  
  
"One minute." The receptionist aired the message over the P.A. system. "Please hold." The receptionist had put Ash on hold on line three. Ash hated to be put on hold. One minute later, the receptionist was surprised to see a large group of people running towards her station.  
  
"There's a call for Delilah Ketchum?" asked the Officer Jenny in charge of the group.  
  
"Y-yes. There is a call for her. What of it? I know your name isn't Delilah."  
  
"I must speak to that boy right away! Grant! Becker! Get your tracers on this phone now!"  
  
"I'm here!" panted a middle-aged woman with brown hair and brown eyes. "There's a phone call for me?" She was quickly joined by a black haired boy and an orange haired girl. The receptionist recognized the boy as Brock because he had tried to hit on her during her coffee breaks in the cafeteria.  
  
"Are you Delilah Ketchum." The woman nodded. "Line three please." The woman snatched the phone like a person that was drowning snatching a life preserver.  
  
"Ash is that you?" The screen popped on to show the boy that had called earlier.  
  
"Hi mom, just calling to tell you that I'm alright." The woman gasped in relief.  
  
"Oh Ash. I thought team rocket had caught you again. Where are you?"  
  
"Don't tell her that!" Interrupted Officer Jenny. "The line could be tapped by team rocket."  
  
"Don't worry mom. I'll be alright." Insisted Ash to his mother. "I'll make you proud mom. Goodbye!" The line went dead.  
  
"Ash! Ash! Ohhh…" Tears were streaming down the mothers face. "Ash. Be safe my baby."  
  
"That didn't take long." Commented Richie as Ash left the phone booth.  
  
"I wasn't in a talkative mood. You got the hair dye?" Richie held up a bag that held two types of hair dye but, they were the same colour; yellow.  
  
"I don't know why you want to dye your hair blonde but, it won't be easy because your hair's dark to begin with." Ash groaned.  
  
"Well, it could be worse. I could have shaved my head." Richie gave a smirk.  
  
"You could still have to."  
  
"Waaaa!" Ash yelled screamed in panic. He clutched his hat closer to his hair.  
  
"Just kidding!" Richie added quickly. "We should go do this at a pokemon center." Ash calmed down enough that he nodded in agreement.  
  
"Just remember that I AM NOT SHAVING MY HEAD!" growled Ash. Richie smacked his back.  
  
"You may want to when I'm through with you." That made Ash turn three shades of blue. "Just kidding."  
  
"You had better be!" Pikachu got a smile and gave a Sparky a wink.  
  
"Pikachu- Pika?" Asked Pikachu. Sparky gave an evil smile and put his paws on his head.  
  
"Pikaaaaaaaa!" The Pikachu's burst out laughing and got Ash even more upset.  
  
"I DON'T want to know what our pokemon are talking about." Said Ash. Then both trainers and pokemon began to laugh. The fifth of the group felt a little out of place because it hadn't been paying attention.  
  
"Abra? Abra-ab-ra?" The laughter began anew.  
  
Later at the second Kolbind Pokemon center.  
  
"It doesn't -look- too bad Ash." Snickered Richie. Ash rolled his eyes at his friends comment.  
  
"Then why are you trying not to laugh?" Richie had just unwrapped the towel around Ash's head and got a glimpse of the new Ash. Ash had been a blonde for about three hours the day before and didn't like the idea of being a permanent blonde.  
  
"Because-hmmph-it-oh no! Ha ahahahahahaha! Sorry! I couldn't -humph- keep it in! You look so funny! Seriously though. I would have never known you weren't a real blonde if I didn't know beforehand what you looked like."  
  
"Thanks for the support." Ash sighed as he looked into his reflection. He looked totally different with the blonde hair and new cloths he was wearing. Ash wouldn't dump the Official Pokemon league hat in a trash bin but couldn't wear it. His old cloths and hat were in his new pack with Pokegear as they called it. The Pokegear was in an enormous backpack that could hold items, pokeballs, it even had room for tms. Ash bought the Pokegear so he could listen in to the radio broadcasts; more importantly the police radios. Sadly, it cost a lot of money to buy.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm sure the look will grow on you." Ash looked down at the camouflage pants and white shirt he wore. The pants came with a matching jacket but Ash still felt like he was still missing something important.   
  
"I need a new hat." Richie smiled and brushed Sparky with a special Pokebrush.  
  
"We can look for one after we get Sparky to Doc Pine in the D district of town." Ash got up and put on his new backpack.  
  
"Pikachu. We're leaving. Pikachu?" Ash looked around for his pokemon to find the Pikachu and Abra in the lobby in a corner.  
  
"Pikachu pika-chu-pi?" asked Pikachu to Abra/Mew.  
  
"Abra, ab-ra-ra." Was her answer.  
  
"There you are. Come on, we're leaving with Richie." The two pokemon took one look at Ash and turned around quickly. When Ash came closer he heard laughter. "Ok, I know! I look funny. Let's get out of here before they leave us."  
  
"PI!" Pikachu and Abra/Mew got the point and assumed a perch on either side of Ash's shoulders.  
  
"Lets go!" Ash said happily as he bounded out the door to follow Richie.  
  
Section D of town  
  
"I don't think I like this part of town." Ash whispered to Richie. The homes were rundown, there were no lawns or grass. To make matters worse, there were pokemon trainers everywhere and they all looked like thugs.   
  
"You should fit in perfectly here. You look like one of them." Ash had steam blowing out of his ears.  
  
"What do you mean by that?!!!" growled Ash.  
  
"Open your eyes. What are they wearing?" Ash stopped for a moment and surveyed the people on both sides of the street and realized that Richie was right. All the people who looked threatening where wearing something similar to him; pokemon trainer or not, they all had something that was camouflage on.  
  
"Did you know about this beforehand?" Growled Ash. Richie shook his head.  
  
"No, but I'm glad that you decided on looking tough instead of prissy. Else you and I would be lunch meat." Whispered Richie. Both Pikachu's were nervous while Abra/Mew was calm.  
  
"Why are you so calm?" demanded Pikachu. Ash sighed inwardly; he could understand Pikachu again.   
  
'Good thing we dyed my hair first.' Ash though.  
  
"We could take care of everyone here." Stated Abra/Mew. Pikachu fell anime wise and groaned.  
  
"It's not the pokemon I'm worried about. It's the trainers!" growled Pikachu. Then Sparky interrupted the two of them.  
  
"We don't have to be here you know." Ash started to ignore the people around him and listened in on the pokemon conversation.  
  
"It would probably settle Richie's nerves if you saw this lady anyway." Said Pikachu. Besides, we don't know if what Mew did worked."   
  
'What Mew did?' Ash thought. 'What did they do last night?' Ash wondered as Richie squeaked in alarm.  
  
"Ash! We got trouble." Ash focused his attention on the sidewalk before him; three tough looking trainers with one pokeball in hand were blocking them.  
  
"Where do you think you're going punks?" Growled the leader of the tough trio. Richie told Ash later that he thought it took guts do to what he did later but, the truth was Ash panicked and grabbed Snorlax's pokeball. "Oh, you want to battle? Heh, you came to the right place."  
  
"Battle?" Ash asked with as much courage he could.  
  
"Two on two. No time limits." Snarled the teenager. Ash studied the teen. The lug could have easily snapped Ash in two but, Ash bet that he could outrun him easily enough. Especially if fear was a factor in the running. "Over there." The teen pointed to an empty lot to their right.  
  
"Ash!" squeaked Richie. "Don't do it." The teen had done something Ash couldn't resist, he had given Ash a challenge.  
  
"Your on!" growled Ash as he brushed past the two lackeys the brute had with him. Ash was in position on the right of the junk heap.   
  
"What's your name boy?" smirked the teen. Ash resisted to pull his hat backwards and call out Ash of Pallet town. Then Ash remembered he didn't have a hat or that he wanted anyone to know his name. Ash pulled out his first pokemon and held it out in front of him.  
  
"If you win, I'll tell you my name." Ash called out as he held out a pokeball almost pointing a challenge at the teen.  
  
"Heh! I guess I'll learn your name soon enough then. I'm Darrel of D district. Your move first punk." Ash motioned out for Pikachu to go out first..  
  
"Pikachu, I chose you!"  
  
"Pika!"  
  
"Darrel calls out Inferno!"  
  
"Growlith!" A Growlithe with a scar down the left of its eye popped out of the pokeball Darrel threw out. Ash surveyed the pokemon. From his experience in battling, this pokemon was very experienced but, still no match for Pikachu.   
  
"Pikachu! Agility!" Pikachu in a blur of speed began to run around it's opponent. The pokemon was frozen on the spot as it was confused by Pikachu's speed.  
  
"Snap out of it! Inferno, Flamethrower!" roared Darrel. Darrel's voice fell on deaf ears. The Growlithe was confused and hurt itself in its confusion. Ash smiled and knew that this was going to be an easier victory than most.  
  
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" Pikachu heard the signal to attack and obeyed. Pikachu jumped in the air and let out a battle cry.   
  
"Pika-chuuuuu!" said the pokemon as it hurled a massive amount of electricity at the fire puppy.  
  
"Inferno! Get out of the way!" yelled Darrel in warning to no avail. The fire pokemon came out of its confusion just as it saw the electricity screaming toward it.  
  
"Growllll." Was the last thing the pokemon said as it was electrocuted by a thunderbolt that was the equal to two thunder attacks from any other electric pokemon.  
  
'That's odd.' Ash thought as Darrel recalled his pokemon. 'I thought I said Thunderbolt not Thunder.'  
  
"You OK Pikachu?" Ash yelled out to his pokemon.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Was Pikachu's reply. "Bring on your best." Ash sighed at his pokemon's enthusiasm. Ash could tell Pikachu was pumped but wondered where all the extra energy was coming from.  
  
"Let's see your pokemon handle this." Yelled Darrel as he held up a pokeball. "I call out Umbreon." Yelled Darrel. Ash began to pale at the mention of an umbreon. That was a dark type of pokemon that Gary trained and from what he remembered, that was on tough looking pokemon.  
  
"Umbreee." Bellowed the dark pokemon as it emerged from its pokeball. This pokemon was no different from Gary's; it was well cared for and experienced.  
  
"Pikachu! Watch it!" Ash yelled out to his friend.  
  
"This guy will be no trouble." Was his pokemon's reply.  
  
"Don't get cocky!" added Ash. The Umbreon looked at the Pikachu and then back at Ash as if it was trying to figure something out.  
  
"Umbreon! Faint attack!" The umbreon shook itself out of the trance and powered up for its attack.  
  
"Pikachu! Double Team now!" Ash yelled out to the electric pokemon. Pikachu responded with making more than thirty replicas of itself.   
  
"What?" Gasped Darrel in awe. Never before had he seen this level of pokemon before. The Pikachu had taken down one of his best pokemon and was making sport of his very best.  
  
"Umbr?" The dark type pokemon didn't know what to do. It was ready to use its attack but there were too many pokemon around. There wasn't one Pikachu anymore, there was thirty! Umbreon's defense fell and Ash took advantage of the scared pokemon.  
  
"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed as much electricity as last time.  
  
"Pika-chuuuuu!" This time the attack missed the enemy though. Umbreon was lucky enough to see the attack coming and dodged by a hair. The blast from the electricity though sent umbreon flying into a garbage can.  
  
"Umbreee!" growled the now angry pokemon. Then without orders from Darrel, began to attack Pikachu with a quick attack.  
  
"Pikachu agility! Keep ahead of that attack!" The pokemon did as Ash said and kept one move ahead of the enraged Umbreon.  
  
"Umbreon! Stop!" yelled Darrel. The dark pokemon ignored Darrel's orders and continued to chase Pikachu around the junkyard. Pikachu then saw what Ash was doing by having Pikachu running from the dark type and prepared for Ash's signal.  
  
"Pikachu! Now!" Ash roared. Pikachu jumped up and did a flip to face it's opponent. The Umbreon too angry to notice the trap and charged Pikachu.  
  
"Pikachu!" grunted Pikachu as it gave a lot of energy into the last jump of the battle and jumped straight up.  
  
"Umbreee?" squeaked Umbreon as it saw the Pikachu leap over him. When the Umbreon tried to stop it realized the trap. BAMMM! The pokemon slammed into a pile of garbage again and this time it wasn't angry when it reappeared, more like trashed.  
  
"Good job Pikachu!" Ash laughed as the pokemon turned tail and ran straight to Ash's outstretched arms.  
  
"Pikachu!" cried Pikachu happily as Ash rubbed the top of its furry head.  
  
"Umbreon return." Said a quiet voice. Ash looked over to Darrel and felt pity for him; it didn't look like he took failure well. Darrel was in the dirt with a look of total and utter shock on his face. Ash walked over and offered his hand. When Darrel looked up to see the hand, it was another shock to his system. When he took the outstretched hand of Ash's, a cheer went up from all sides.  
  
"Hail the new D district champion!" yelled kids from all sides. Ash had never seen so many pokemon trainers before in his life. Ash couldn't find Richie in the crowd and he would have stuck out like a sore thumb.  
  
"Looks like I've finally been dethroned." smiled Darrel. Ash couldn't believe what was happening. Never in his whole life did he have this many kids his own age cheering for him. Gary would have been jealous! Darrel clapped his hands together for silence and it came.  
  
'What did I get myself into now?' Ash wondered as Darrel put a hand on Ash's left shoulder. (Mew was on his right.) Ash began to look for an escape to find that he was surrounded by boys his own age and older. On second glance Ash recognized that they were mostly trainers.  
  
"What's his name?" called a person from the crowd.  
  
"Yeah! What's the new champions name?" yelled another person from the crowd.   
  
"Better tell them something or they'll bug you forever!" whispered Darrel. Ash panicked and told him his name.  
  
"Ash." Was all Ash said and the word went out.  
  
"Ash! Ash! Ash!" chanted the crowd. Ash stood there dumbly as Darrel clapped his hands again. Silence eventually came back to the odd assembly.  
  
"This young punk had proven himself more than able to be a D district champion and by our rules he has earned the D districts loyalty. So shall we celebrate this whelps accomplishment?" Before Ash could ask what was going on, the crowd closed in and he was hoisted onto shoulders. Darrel at the front, lifted high a yell that the kids echoed.  
  
"To the park!"  
  
"To the park!" roared the crowd and Ash was packed off, pokemon and all, down main street with an entourage of kids his own age. As they passed more streets kids came out of the woodworks! By the time they had reached Kolbind park, the crowd of kids had quadrupled. Ash had never been so embarrassed in his entire life.  
  
"Halt right there D district!" yelled a voice as soon as they entered the park. Darrel gave a motion that Ash didn't recognized and the massive group stopped. When the group stopped, Ash seized the opportunity to get down from his perch on shoulders.  
  
"Put me down. I want to know what's going on." Ash ordered to the two who had a strong grip on his waist. Instead of putting him down they made their way to the front of the crowd. When Ash came closer to the head he recognized an Officer Jenny's voice.  
  
"Not another one of your parties Darrel! As the D district champion, your duty is to keep the training in that district clean, not to party whenever you feel like it." Ash was close to the front of the crowd.  
  
"Hate to break it to ya toots. I'm not the champ anymore." Ash wasn't close enough to see her face but, her voice betrayed her fear.  
  
"Someone beat YOU!! The three time indigo and crystal league champ? Impossible!" Ash almost fell.   
  
"I thought so too but you should have seen this kids pokemon." Said Darrel.  
  
"Pokemon nothing! You should have seen the battle! I've never seen anyone battle like that before!" yelled a voice from the crowd. Ash was not only blushing furiously but was in shock from what he had heard from Officer Jenny.  
  
'If I could curl up and hide right now I would.' Ash thought. Then Ash couldn't believe what happened next.  
  
"I don't believe you. Where is this kid you talk about?" If Darrel could have known that Ash had a few run ins with Officer Jenny's in the past, he might have left Ash well enough alone.  
  
"Hey! Bring the champ here! Bring his pokemon too." Yelled Darrel. Ash was hurried forward and set down. "There he is." Smiled Darrel.  
  
"Uh hi Officer Jenny." Ash said sheepishly. Darrel had a look of surprise cross his face before he came and put Ash in a headlock. "Gak!" Ash muffled as his hair was being ruffled.  
  
"See! This is the kid that defeated my best two pokemon with his Pikachu. Hey! Where's this punks Pikachu?" roared Darrel. Pikachu and Abra were brought up to the front of the crowd by two pretty young girls about Ash's age.   
  
"Pika!" said Pikachu happily. The girl that held Pikachu was rubbing his tummy and Pikachu was enjoying it. Ash couldn't see the girl's features very well because he still was in a headlock.  
  
"So, this is the new champ." Said Officer Jenny as Ash was let out of the headlock. Ash was studied for a moment by Officer Jenny. "You look familiar. Have we met?"   
  
"No. I've met plenty of your cousins though." Ash said as casually as he could. Officer Jenny took another once over of Ash and then turned back to Darrel.  
  
"He's obviously here for the tournament. I suggest you take him to be registered before any party happens. Do I make myself clear?" Darrel gave her a salute and turned to the crowd.  
  
"Change of plans people. Party after registration. Everyone set up until we return." The crowd gave a roar of approval. "Don't start the party without us."  
  
"D district forever!" roared the crowd. Darrel made a motion with his hands and three people came from the crowd.  
  
"Honour guards move out." Ash inwardly groaned as he was picked up again. Ash gave a look to Darrel. "Tradition." Was his reply.  
  
'This wasn't supposed to happen.' Ash moaned. 'I wanted to remain anonymous and here I am being paraded around by people I don't want to meet in a dark alley.' Ash was rushed out of the area with an crowd of about twenty people. Darrel was in the lead of course with Pikachu and Abra/Mew in tow. Ash came next on the shoulders of two big guys and then a group of about seventeen fans.  
  
"D district forever! We got a new champ!" Was what they chanted over and over again. Ash frightened out of his mind that he noticed decided to try and be as compliant as possible; he wanted this thing over and done with.  
  
At the tournament registration  
  
"Get your goodies here! Nutritious and delicious!" Yelled James.  
  
"Popcorn and chocolate bars here!" Echoed Jessie.   
  
"Our business is doing great!" announced Meowth. "We got enough money here to live easy for three months." Then in the background, the busy trio heard the cheers for the D district hero.  
  
"What's going on?" Asked Jessie as all their customers made a hasty retreat to see him. Meowth was the smarter one of the trio and tripped a kid as he was running by.  
  
"Hey kid, What's going on.?" Asked Meowth to the kid as he got up. The boy snorted and brushed himself off.  
  
"You're not from around here are you? Well to make a long story short. We have a champion for each district. The D district is the roughest district of all and the champ has just been overthrown. Right now he's registering to enter the tournament. Now if you'll excuse me, I want to see if I can get close enough for an autograph." The kid turned and ran off.  
  
  



	8. Chapter7part2

Part2Chapter7  
  
"Looks like this guy is really popular." Said Jessie to her two cohorts. James nodded.  
  
"Eh! He'll just be a flash in the pan. You know what though. I would bet three of my nine lives that Ash will show up now."  
  
"Why is that Meowth?" Asked James dumbly. Meowth got a vein throb on his head.  
  
"If this champ is anything like Gary; the twerp will show up to challenge him."  
  
"And what if he doesn't?" Asked James. James was hit over the head with a mallet.  
  
"Then we steal their pokemon instead of Ash's Mew! Idiot!" Growled Jessie. "Now back to work! We can get some money out of this crowd yet!" The trio went back to their posts and began to work.  
  
"Here we are champ." Announced Darrel. Ash couldn't believe what was happening! No sooner had they gone down one street, the crowd had picked up again. Ash was still in the head of the line behind his pokemon but, the fans had followed in behind him.  
  
"This is the stadium?" Ash asked Darrel. Darrel nodded and picked up the pace.  
  
"Make way! The D district champ had been beaten. Here comes the new champ." Ash heard from the crowd behind him. Ash wanted to hide. Just then, Ash and the group passed a certain trio of trouble.  
  
"I must be seeing things!" exclaimed Jessie.  
  
"Why?" Asked James.  
  
"Tell me that he doesn't look like Ash Ketchum."  
  
"Who doesn't look like Ash Ketchum?" Asked James densely, Jessie gave him a well-deserved smack alongside the head.  
  
"Keep up with current events you dimwit! The new D whatever champ!" James recovered from the brutality of Jessie's attack and took a look at the champ as he passed by.  
  
"If Ash was a blonde and had better taste in cloths that could be him." Sneered Meowth. "but since we all know Ash, that snobbish champ couldn't be him." Ash heard a familiar voice as he passed by the refreshment stands. When he looked he thought he saw Jessie, James and Meowth.  
  
'If they're here, that means I had better prepare for the worst. I wouldn't be surprised if they crashed this party.' Ash thought. Then Ash was lifted down so he could register into the tournament. Darrel lead the way through the doors into the registration area.  
  
"Make way! We have a district champ here." Ash was not comfortable with the fuss that Darrel was making over his arrival. What surprised him even more was that people were making way for him. Ash had a clear path to the registration desk. Darrel gave him a pen and he signed himself in as Ash. When he was done. Darrel took the piece of paper and held it up to Ash's newfound fans. "Bring it on!" Yelled Darrel.  
  
"And here I thought I was the one who had one of the biggest ego's in the tournament." Ash froze as he recognized Gary's voice.  
  
'Oh, Please, Please, PLEASE, don't let him recognize me.' Ash thought as he turned to face his rival. Before Ash could say a word though, Darrel butted in.  
  
"The ego is deserved. This kid beat me in a fair battle of two against two and didn't have to use a second pokemon. He's a district champ. You can't say the same can you kid." Gary was shut up for an instant. Ash glared into Gary's eyes and almost betrayed who he was by opening his mouth. "Thought not! See you at the winners circle."  
  
"We'll settle this in the tournament." Growled Gary as he stalked off with his cheerleaders. Before they left though there was a exchange of cheers.  
  
"Gary, he's a true champ.  
On your pokemon will he stamp.  
Gary is the best, yeah! Gary!  
  
Ash was startled by a pair picking him up by the arms and being hoisted onto a pair of shoulders. Also , to Ash's surprise, the mob yelled back a cheer.  
  
"District D is rough,  
We'll leave you crying enough,  
Cause our champ is so tough,  
D!D! District D!  
Out on the field you shall see!  
District D! Go Ash!"  
  
Ash didn't see how Gary reacted to his name being called out because, he was being carried away by the district D people. Ash didn't look back as he was carried out to the sunshine again. This time, Ash concentrated on the refreshment stands and saw what he was looking for; a Meowth selling hotdogs.   
  
'Did I ever mess up this time. I wonder where Richie is. I could sure use his help.' Ash thought as he was carried back to the park for his victory party. Meanwhile, a very stunned Gary was still at the tournament area.  
  
'It- They couldn't have been cheering for Ash Ketchum. That couldn't of been Ash. He's too chicken to do anything like that. Besides, Ash had black hair and always wears his hat. That kid looked nothing like him.' Gary stood silent for a moment. 'There was something in his eyes that was familiar..'  
  
At the District D lab  
  
"So Sparky is alright?" asked Richie to an emerald haired lady with matching eyes. Doc Pine as she was called smiled at the trainer.  
  
"Yes, in fact, I don't see anything wrong with Sparky." The boy looked preoccupied for a moment. "Something wrong?"  
  
"Sparky had swollen cheeks a little while ago and couldn't do anything more than a thundershock. It doesn't make any sense." Pine shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Maybe he needed a break so he could gather electricity again. That sometimes happens.. What is that racket outside?!" Pine went to the window and looked out to see a group, nay, a mob of children headed to the park. When she moved he glasses closer to her face, she saw one above the rest.  
  
"What is going on?" Asked Richie. Then Richie remembered Ash. What had happened was one of the two goons that were with Darrel stopped Richie from following Ash and brought him to the lab. When Richie asked what was going on the goon said.  
  
"A test, nothing more. You'll see your friend either back here or some other time if he's a champ."  
  
"Looks like District D has a party going on." Said Pine. Pine remembered growing up in district D as a child. The parties were for people who challenged the district champ and won.   
  
"District D?" Richie asked. Pine came back to reality to explain to the pokemon trainer what was going on outside.  
  
"There are four districts in Kolbind. A, B, C, and D. We're in the D district right now. Every district has a champion. If a person defeats the standing champion; they become a candidate for district champion. If the champion is defeated twice by the same person; then they become the new district champ. I think our Darrel had been dethroned once today."  
  
"That reminds me! I have a friend who just got challenged by a group of three big guys. One of the big goons lead me here. I hope he's alright." Richie's face faulted and he looked out the window down the street.  
  
"If he's still out there, he'll be pushed towards the party at the park. We can probably see him there. Besides, it is a tradition that one of my standard to join the party to show my support. I'll take you with me if you don't mind," Richie smiled a little.  
  
"Thanks!" Sparky was then released from the doctors grasp and leapt back to it's trainer. "Ready to party Sparky?"  
  
"Pikachu!" was the pokemon's answer. Then with minimal hopes to find Ash, Richie followed Doc Pine out of her clinic. Before she left the clinic she put up a closed sign but didn't put up a time when she would be back. Richie noticed this.  
  
"Why didn't you give a time when you would be back?" Richie asked the pokemon doctor.  
  
"Because if it is truly a champion party, I honestly don't know when the party will stop."  
The Park  
  
Ash was shocked out of his mind. Never before had he seen so many people. There were more people in the park then there were in the entire town of Pallet. Still being carried around like a trophy, Ash was paraded to the middle of the park.   
  
"We're here." Darrel announced as he stopped the crowd. "SO LET THE PARTY COMMENCE!" The signal was given and people split in every direction. Ash was carried up a rock that overlooked the park and was set down.  
  
"Giggle!" Ash looked behind him to see Pikachu and Abra in the arms of two girls. Ash blushed a bit as they sat down beside him and began a conversation concerning Ash like he wasn't even there.  
  
"He has such well behaved pokemon."  
  
"And they're so cute." Pikachu gave a Pika of approval as the yellow haired, blue-eyed girl began to scratch behind his ears.   
  
"Not to mention their trainer as well." Darrel slapped Ash on the back before he had a chance to blush at the brunettes comment.  
  
"Lucky punk! Already have the girls chasing you." Ash could feel his ears growing hot. To add to Ash's embarrassment, his stomach growled. The girls looked at him and laughed.  
  
"I think our champ is hungry." Said the girl holding Abra. Darrel was laughing too.  
  
"What gave you that idea?" Darrel let out a shrill whistle and Ash watched the crowd scurry faster. Then, several plates of food appeared out of nowhere.   
  
"Pika!" Ash turned to see Pikachu in the same predicament as him; he didn't know where to start. The food spanned out for what seemed like forever.  
  
"Dig in." said Darrel in a chagrined voice. Before Ash could oblige a familiar voice rang through the crowd.  
  
"Ash!" Ash turned to see Richie running towards him.   
  
"Richie!" Darrel took notice of the new champs attitude and looked in the direction of Ash's gaze.  
  
"Oh, your little friend's here. He should join the party! Let that kid through!" yelled Darrel to the crowd.  
  
"Whoah!" yelled Richie as he was picked up by the crowd.  
  
"Pass him on." yelled a voice. Richie and Sparky were passed up to the rock. Once Richie was sat beside Ash, it became clear who was the new district D champ.  
  
"No way." Said Richie. Ash grinned.  
  
"Way." Ash gave Richie a high five and turned back to the food. "Hungry?" Waterfall tears went down Richie's face.  
  
"Famished." Darrel slapped Richie's back.  
  
"Eat! I never thought that I would have to tell a kid your age that." Ash didn't have much of an appetite but Richie ate with a vengeance. Ash wasn't hungry because, something was bothering him. After eating, Darrel tried to pick up a conversation with Ash. "So, where ya from?" Ash almost choked on his drink. Richie saved him.  
  
"He's from the indigo league area. We're traveling through this league right now and were lucky enough to come when we did."  
  
"I get it. You're here for the gyms. Well you two are in luck. I spotted both gym leaders here. Maybe you can get your badges right now. Hey Carl." A boy with sandy brown hair and deep aqua eyes came forward. "Find Grendel and K. The champ wants to challenge them for a badge."  
  
"Yes sir!" Ash watched as Carl left through the crowd. Ash didn't know what to think. The power Darrel wielded was almost scary.   
  
"You haven't been very talkative champ."   
  
"Huh?" Ash turned to the voice that addressed him. The girl who was holding Pikachu had spoken.   
  
"I think it's because he's shy." Said the girl holding Abra.  
  
"It's not that, I just have a lot on my mind lately." Started Ash. Darrel was curious so he pressed the matter.  
  
"What sort of things?" To Ash's relief, Richie came to his aid.  
  
"He just broke up with some friends of his." Said Richie. Darrel snorted at the new information.  
  
"Must have been blind to let this cutie go." Said an unfamiliar voice. Ash looked up to see a girl with curled, deep maroon hair in a matching body suit. A cape billowed out behind her as she talked to Ash. Ash was praying that she wouldn't notice that he blushed at her first comment. "I'm Grendel, I heard that you want a match?"  
  
"Careful, he's good." Warned Darrel. "He took out both of my pokemon with that Pikachu of his."  
  
"Didn't you use Sandshrew?" asked the blue eyed gym leader. "You know that the pokemon wouldn't have had a chance against it. You did use Jolteon and Kingler didn't you?" Darrel shook his head.  
  
"Umbreon and Growlithe are the ones I used." That made Grendel's eyes pop out.  
  
"Umbreon and Growlithe- Then how am I supposed to beat him! I've already lost before the battles even begun. I might as well hand over the badge right now." Ash wasn't about to be left out of the conversation.  
  
"How do you now unless you try whether or not you've been beaten? I want a chance to earn a badge, not be given one out of a reputation." Grendel looked into the eyes of Ash Ketchum and saw what everyone saw when they looked into his eyes; pure determination. Grendel shook her head at the boy's words and laughed.  
  
"With an attitude like that, no wonder you beat Darrel. Let's battle!" Ash was lead down onto the grass and a large group of people gathered to watch.  
  
"Go get'er Ash!" yelled Richie from the crowd. Ash didn't hear him though. Ash didn't realize what was happening to him but the pond of pokemon was working it's effects on him. Ash was in a world of his own. A place where his opponent and pokemon were. The crowd, the encouragement and sounds stopped.  
  
"Three on three battle. No time limit. The Kolbind badge Fushialeaf badge is on the line. I call out Golem." Ash watched as the pokemon popped out of it's pokeball. Ash grabbed a pokeball off of his belt.  
  
"Blubasaur! I choose you!" Yelled Ash in his usual declarative voice. The plant pokemon jumped out of it's ball.   
  
"Ready!" called out Bulbasaur.  
  
"Alright Golem, tackle that small fry." Ash wasn't goaded into doing something rash.  
  
"Bulbasaur! Power up and dodge that Golems attack."  
  
"Right!" said the Bulbasaur as it watched the mountain of mass start it's charge. The Golem was moving at a slow pace Ash thought. It didn't matter to Ash though.  
  
"Duck to your right now!" Ash yelled as soon as the Golem neared Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur did as it was told and ducked to his right and the surprised Golem smashed into the ground behind Bulbasaur.  
  
"Golem get back up!" Yelled Grendel to her pokemon.   
  
'Too late.' Ash thought as he saw Bulbasaur turn to it's opponent.  
  
"Now! Solarbeam!" Ash roared. A stream of condensed light seared Golems thick skin and made it faint. Grendel recalled her pokemon.  
  
"Golem return. Let's see your plant type handle this fire type. Go Ninetails!" Ash recognized the Ninetails as the evolved form of Vulpix. Ash winced as the memory of Brock and his friends tried to assault his judgment. Ash gathered a deep breath and pushed the thoughts aside.  
  
"Bulbasaur don't get near it. Try to take him out from afar. Use Poison Powder." Ash ordered his pokemon.  
  
"Fire Blast now! Take it out before it has a chance to poison you!" Yelled Grendel. To Ash's surprise, the Fire Blast didn't work! Bulbasaur had acted more quickly and when the pokemon gathered a deep breath for the attack. It got a lungful of poison powder.  
  
"Nine-coff-coff- tail.!" The pokemon sputtered.   
  
"Bulbasaur. Get it with a razor leaf attack!" ordered Ash quickly. The plant pokemon was already way ahead of him and two razor leaf attacks were on their way to the fire pokemon.  
  
"Nine!" growled the fire pokemon as it fainted. The Razor Leaf attack wasn't very effective but, the poison had already run it's course and the pokemon was out of HP points.  
  
"I don't believe this! Return! This is my best pokemon. Lets see if you can handle it. Go Machamp!" Ash saw the bruiser as it appeared out of the pokeball. It was at a very high level and was being well taken care of.   
  
'Bulbasaur is going to have a tough time with this one.' Thought Ash as the pokemon stretched it's muscles for Ash.  
  
"Blubasaur. Poison Powder!" Ash ordered to the very intimidated plant pokemon. Bulbasaur shook off the fear in time to get ready for it's attack.  
  
"Take this guy out with a devastating Submission attack!" Yelled Grendel  
  
"Yes ma'm/" said the pokemon as it began to charge the pokemon.   
  
'Don't use the poison powder until you see the white in his eyes.' Ash thought silently. If Ash was paying closer attention to his pokemon, he would have seen a bit of a nod come from Bulbasaur. The Machamp neared and prepared to use it's attack. Ash saw the opportunity.  
  
"Now!" Bulbasaur unleashed the poison powder in Machamps face and the pokemon was poisoned. However, Bulbasaur couldn't move out of the way of the pokemon's attack.  
  
"Blubasaur!" Yelled Ash in worry as his pokemon was lifted over the Machamps head. Ash then had an idea. "Bulbasaur! Use Vinewhip from being tossed!"   
  
"I hope this works." Ash heard his pokemon whisper. Bulbasaurs vines wrapped around Machamps wrists and the plant pokemon couldn't be thrown.  
  
"Wha?" gasped the gym leader in surprise. Ash put a smile on his face and ordered Bulbasaur to attack.  
  
"Leech seed!" Ash roared out to his pokemon. The pokemon spit out a seed right onto the Machamps face and let go of it's vinewhip. Bulbasaur jumped from the frustrated fighting pokemon's grasp.   
  
'Now for the coup de grace.' Ash thought happily. The Machamp was badly poisoned and leech seed was sapping it of it's strength.  
  
"Machamp! Try using Recover!" Yelled Grendel. Ash knew he had to act fast because that meant that it would regain HP points.  
  
"Bulbasaur! Take it out with Solarbeam before it has a chance to recover." Yelled the pokemon's trainer. Bulbasaur was tired of the fight and obliged Ash so it could take a rest.  
  
"Here it goes!" Sneered the Bulbasaur as it powered up for a powerful Solarbeam attack. The Machamp was fighting against the leech seed when the pokemon started to glow. It was Recovering!  
  
"Now!" Ash roared. On the signal from Ash, devastating Solarbeam that could have easily taken out two Machamps, hit Grendel's pokemon.   
  
"No!" Yelled Grendel as soon as her pokemon had fainted. She recalled her pokemon and smiled. "You were right Darrel. This kid is good." Ash then came out of his trance and noticed the cheer from around him.  
  
"D, D, district D   
On the battlefield you shall see.  
Go Ash!"  
  
"Way to go Bulbasaur! You did great!" Ash said as his pokemon scurried back to his trainer. Bulbasaur chuckled a bit as Ash picked him up. "What's so funny?"   
  
"Your hair!" smirked Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur unleashed his vines and ran it through his hair. "It looks funny." Ash grinned at his pokemon. This was going to be great being able to understand his pokemon all the time.   
  
"You did it Ash!" called Richie as soon as he was let through the crowd.   
  
"Was there any doubt that he would lose?" Darrel said as he walked toward the pair.  
  
"That was amazing! How did you think of that move to counter the submission attack? That was awesome! I've never seen pokemon react that fast to their trainers commands before." Commented Richie. Ash looked at him with a blank expression on his face.   
  
"It just popped into my head." Said Ash with a smile. Ash then saw Grendel move in their direction.   
  
"Congratulations! You've earned the Fushialeaf badge." Ash held out his hand and a badge was placed in it. Before Ash could do his famed pose for collecting badges, another person appeared out of nowhere and handed Ash another badge.  
  
"What?" Ash asked as he turned to see an older male in his thirties smiling down at Ash.  
  
"K, don't tell me your going to forfeit the match before it's already begun!" Exclaimed Grendel.   
  
"I just want the kid to hold onto it for now." Ash looked at both badges. The Fushialeaf badge was just that; a leaf that was coloured fuchsia. The other badge was shaped into a teardrop and was also fuchsia. "If he wins the tournament, he can keep the badge, if not, then I'll battle him." Without saying anymore, the strange man left Ash's presence. Ash was dumbstruck.  
  
"Two badges in one day!" laughed Darrel. "You certainly making a name for yourself. The competition doesn't stand a chance against you!" Darrel slapped Ash on the back and he almost dropped Bulbasaur.  
  
Next day.  
  
Ash was the guest of the D district hotel. Darrel had set him up in a deluxe sweet after the party, which didn't end until three in the morning. Ash had collapsed on the big hotel bed and had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Pikachu, Abra/Mew and Bulbasaur were in better shape then Ash as they were allowed to sleep in the arms of Clowie and Tara, the two that teased Ash earlier. Ash had to stay up and converse with the crowd. They were asleep beside Ash on the gigantic bed. Richie and his pokemon were in the bed besides Ash's.   
  
"Ring! Ring!" Ash groaned at the phone. Still asleep, Ash answered it.   
  
"Hello?" Ash greeted groggily.  
  
"Wake up call! Reminder that you battle at one this afternoon." Ash yawned as he put the receiver down and looked at the clock. It was eleven o'clock. Time to get motivated.  
  
"Richie time to get up." Ash said sleepily. Ash was usually the one to sleep the latest but Richie beat him this time.  
  
"Just five more minutes." Was his reply. Ash shook his shoulder and pulled the pillow from his face.  
  
"I have two hours to get to the tournament. Lets go and find something to eat before then." At the mention of food, Richie was up. Ash was ready before him and was switching through the channels on T.V. when he came across his old persona of himself on a news channel.  
  
"In other news, the trainer Ash Ketchum is still missing. Sources suspect that the trainer who caught Mew was in fact-" Ash changed the channel fast as Richie walked back into the room.   
  
"Anything good on?" Richie asked. Ash nervously sweatdropped and almost let the remote fall.  
  
"Nothing of interest." Ash laughed and decided to change the subject. "So, where do we want to eat?" Richie shrugged.   
  
"Don't know and don't care." Ash smiled. As long as it was good, Ash didn't care either. "I wonder where the D district champion eats anyway." Ash groaned at the memory of what happened yesterday.  
  
"What did I get myself into?" Ash wondered out loud.  
  
"Don't worry. Once you leave to go on your pokemon journey, the buzz'll die down." Ash smiled. Richie was probably right. Once his fans learned that he was going to leave, they'd drop him.  
  
"Now how about that breakfast?" Ash asked. Richie and Ash collected their pokemon and left the hotel room. Ash had Pikachu and Abra out while Richie had Sparky. They got to the lobby and were struck with another surprise. Ash saw Darrel, Grendel, Clowie, Tara, and a bunch of kids Ash didn't recognize. They were waiting for Ash to come down.  
  
"There he is!" Ash heard as soon as he stepped out of the elevator. When Ash turned to see who said that, he saw another sight. There were reporters and camera people to the elevators right and they were all headed Ash's way.  
  
"Uh oh!" said Richie. "Um Ash? RUN!" said Richie as calmly as he could. Ash didn't run but was mobbed by the district D people.  
  
"No interviews!" Yelled Darrel as he had a arm outstretched as he protected Ash. Before Ash could protest. The small crowd lifted him up on shoulders again. Richie decided to help this time and was the right bearer. Pikachu and Abra went to the girls. Outside a car was waiting. It looked like Gary's corvette except it was black with a fiery design on the hood.  
  
"Meet you at the stadium Ash." Said Richie as he lowered him into the passenger side. Darrel hopped into the drivers and Clowie and Tara were in the back already. Before Ash could buckle up, Darrel was off.   
  
"Nice to see you awake. You already know Clowie and my sister Tara." Darrel motioned to the girls in the back. "Now, where do you want to go first? You have an hour before you have to battle so I suggest a quick lunch."  
  
"Lunch would be great." Said Ash over the roar of the engine.   
  
'I can see that I'll have no peace while I'm in town." Ash thought grimly as he speed down the road towards an unknown destination.  
  
Later  
  
"No sign of the brat anywhere." Growled Meowth. It was going to be one of those weeks where nothing went right for team rocket. They ha been at the stadium from dawn until dusk for two days and not a glimpse of a red hat or Pikachu.  
  
"Guess we move to plan B." said Jessie as she passed their stall.  
  
"Gotcha." Said Meowth. Meowth then put up a closed sign and began to dig a hole underneath their stall.   
  
"There isn't a trace of that kid. Jessie what do we do if Butch and Cassidy get to him first?" asked James.  
  
"Then we steal Ash from them and take Mew as out reward." Said Jessie. Meowth, still not over all the years of trying to catch Pikachu butted in.  
  
"Why not take Pikachu as well? It might sweeten the deal."  
  
"Speaking of Pikachu, did you notice what that champion kid had as pokemon? It looked like he had an Abra and Pikachu." Said James  
  
"How do you know that?" asked Meowth in shock that James used his brains for once.  
  
"I saw them as they passed by. I have to admit that Pikachu looked like it was in good shape." Said James.  
  
"Since we have to make this job worthwhile, lets steal all the pokemon we can from the champs." Said Jessie with an evil smile on her face. The trio grasped hands and smiled.  
  
"And just think! The twerp or his friends won't be around to stop us this time."   
  
Meanwhile  
  
"You battle in ten minutes Ash." Darrel said cheerfully. Ash was in the tenth battle of the afternoon. The trainers in the tournament were of such high caliber that the one on one matches lasted for no more than ten minutes. It lasted for one minute if the trainer was up against a more experienced trainer. Ash had never seen such competition.  
  
"That means that I have to get going now." Ash said to Richie. "Wish me luck." Richie laughed.  
  
"You won't need it." Ash went out to the stadium and went to his appointed spot. The tournament was unusual to Ash. It was held for three days and each day a person battled three trainers. How well you did in the battle decided where you went next. On the first day it was a one on one battle, tomorrow it would be a three on three battle and the day after it would be the finalists fighting it out in the last fights.  
  
"Go Vileplume!" shouted the trainer across the field. The battle had started. Ash defeated all of his opponents that day without a scratch to his pokemon. As he left the stadium with Darrel and Richie he was hounded once again by reporters.  
  
"Give us something!" begged a reporter in a red hat. Ash didn't answer him and pushed his way through the crowd.  
  
"Ash!" Ash looked to see Tara and Clowie in the back of the corvette again. Tara was the one that warned Ash of the rock. Ash saw it coming in slow motion. The rock was the size of an orange and was hurled at a startling pace for Ash's head. Ash reacted without thinking. Ash caught the rock in the palm of his right hand and deflected it to his right.  
  
"Who threw that!" Ash demanded. The crowd pushed a kid Ash had not seen before to Ash's circle. The boy was afraid of course but, had a look of defiance in his eyes that Ash knew all too well.  
  
"What's the meaning of this!" Barked Darrel. The boy shivered and backed away from Darrel.  
  
"Darrel, I'll handle this!" Ash growled. "Why did you throw this rock at me?" Ash demanded at the boy. Holding the rock so that the boy could see it.  
  
"I was told to." The boy whimpered. That got Ash's interest.  
  
"Who told you to?" Ash asked softly.  
  
"I don't know his name but he's really mean! He said he would beat me up if I didn't do it." Ash got angry.  
  
"What did he look like?" Ash asked quietly.  
  
"I didn't see him but he had black shoes on and an weird outfit with a R on it and I think he had a girl with him." Ash almost went pale. The only people who would be mean enough to do this to a kid was Butch and Cassidy of team rocket and Ash wasn't ready to go up against team rocket right now.  
  
"You can go now." Ash said quietly and the kid dashed through the crowd as quickly as he could.  
  
"You know them?" Darrel asked.  
  
"I think so." Ash muttered. This was not good news at all. Things were about to get complicated fast.  
  
On the road to Kolbind  
  
"You know, I miss Ash." Said Misty to Brock. They had traveled all night on the road to Kolbind as soon as they got the call from Ash.  
  
"I miss him too." Said Brock in a downed voice. "He always brightened up a trip with his antics and bouts with team rocket."  
  
"Not to mention the way he went on about pokemon training. Do you think Ash left to protect us?" Misty asked suddenly. Brock put a hand under his chin.  
  
"I wouldn't put it past Ash. He could have left because he thought it was too dangerous for us to be around him anymore."  
  
"Brock?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What if we can't find him?" Brock stopped and grabbed Misty by the shoulders.  
  
"Don't think like that! We'll find him! It's not his fault that team rocket is after him. We'll look until we find him. Ash would do the same for us." Misty's eye softened and she wiped away a tear.  
  
"You're right Brock. We'll find him and when we do…." Brock could see what was coming.  
  
'I pity poor Ash.' Thought Brock. 'She's gonna dig her claws in so tight that he'll never get lose.'  
  
"…I'll hit him into next week and then shake him until enough money for my bike comes out. Then I'll get nasty!"  
  
"Hitting him in the face and his pocketbook isn't nasty enough?!" said Brock in horror.  
  
"Oh what I have in mind he'll wish he never been born!"  
  
'I thought so.' Brock thought to himself. 'Poor Ash. He doesn't have a chance!'  
  
Ash doesn't know how right he is does he folks? (Insert evil author laugh here).   
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  



	9. Chapter8

Chapter 8   
  
"Don't you think this is a bit much?" Ash asked as they entered a posh restaurant. Darrel laughed.  
  
"I know that your not used to such luxury but, the D district champion had a reputation to holdup. Can't blame you for acting surprised though. You didn't know what you were getting into when I challenged you did you?" Ash had been shocked for three days in a row now. First he met Richie on the road, second he became this district champion and won two badges and today was no exception. Ash scored a perfect in beating all his opponents in the tournament by using Pikachu and Bulbasaur.   
  
"How'd you know that?" Ash asked. Ash wasn't nervous about asking Darrel questions because it was just Darrel, Ash and his pokemon dining tonight. Richie said he didn't want to get hounded by reporters. Darrel smiled.   
  
"Because if you knew who I was, you would have moved onto the other side of the street." Ash thought it a good reason. "You also had the biggest look of bewilderment when you got carried off by the crowd." Ash sighed.  
  
"I'm that easy to read huh?" Darrel nodded.   
  
"Yep! Don't worry about it. That will pass in time if you decide to challenge me again. Yo! Waiter!" Darrel yelled to a guy in a tux.   
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Two orders of curry please and two chillers." Ash wasn't about to ask what he had orders when he ordered chillers but was curious.  
  
"What else do you think you know about me?" Ash asked. Darrel smiled and sat back in his chair.  
  
"You didn't have a fight with your friends and that you don't like to talk about the past. I'm thinking that you're a criminal of sorts because you mentioned that you've run into many Officer Jenny's." Darrel had whispered the last sentence. Ash almost gagged on his water.  
  
"It's nothing like that!" Ash spat out.  
  
"But I'm close aren't I." Ash sighed and put an arm behind his head like he always does when he gets nervous.  
  
"I'm on the run from team rocket." Ash said quietly. Then it was Darrel's turn to gag.  
  
"Team rocket?" he sputtered out. "What did you do to get their attention?"  
  
"They want my Pikachu because, it's a rare pokemon to them." Darrel sized up Pikachu from afar again.  
  
"They wouldn't just chase you just because of one pokemon would they?"   
  
"Try for about two years! They just decided to use new tactics lately that are scary." Darrel looked at Ash astonished.  
  
"What new tactics?"  
  
"Get rid of the trainer to get at the pokemon." Ash said darkly. "I've also been known to foul up their plans now and then." Darrel laughed.  
  
"No wonder they're after you. You have something they want and you're a menace. Way to go kid. I guess I underestimated you."   
  
"Now you see my problem. Something happened lately that has team rocket furious." Darrel laughed again.  
  
"What'd you do? Spit in the bosses coffee?" Ash laughed.   
  
"Nope, more like gave team rocket a slap in the face. They laid out a trap for me and I got caught." Darrel didn't laugh. "I was freed by some friends and that's one slap. The next part is me doing what I'm doing now."  
  
"And that is?" asked Darrel. Ash gave him a wink.  
  
"Hiding in plain sight." Darrel thought for a moment and then burst out laughing.  
  
"Oh, I get it! No wonder you looked horrified being paraded around town. You didn't want to be noticed. Too late to say I'm sorry but, aren't you worried that you'll be noticed?" Ash crossed his arms and looked smug.  
  
"If I could be recognized I would have already been nailed by team rocket." Darrel looked at Ash as if he was a weirdo. "I've met a few people that should have recognized me and didn't." Darrel laughed.  
  
"So your in disguise? What did you do? Changed the cloths of course; they're just off the shelf." Ash laughed.  
  
"I also ditched a few personal possessions." Ash said with some regret in his voice. Darrel nodded.   
  
"You didn't change your name though. I noticed that. So, what are you going to do?" Ash shrugged.   
  
"Since there are too many people I know in town I'm going to have to leave." Darrel nodded. Ash looked over to Abra and Pikachu who were having a conversation of their own.  
  
"After the tournament?" asked Darrel. Ash looked at his pokemon again before he gave his answer.  
  
"Maybe before then." Then the food came and that was the end of that conversation.  
  
"Lets change the subject to something more pleasant." Darrel said as they walked out of the restaurant. "How do you think your going to do in the tournament?" Ash, with a glimmer of fire in his eyes, picked up Pikachu.  
  
"We're going to win! Right Pikachu?!" Pikachu who was now hopping onto Ash's shoulder answered.  
  
"Pika!" Ash smiled.  
  
"That must mean yes." Darrel laughed. "You know, for a punk, you're not too bad." Ash got his hair mussed up again.  
  
"Same to you." Ash barely got away from a headlock. "I was ready for that."  
  
"Not even here two days and you already can predict what I'm going to do." Ash was given a thumbs up and was motioned to the car. As Ash climbed into the car he realized something.  
  
'I have been predicting a lot of things lately. Usually I can't see a foot in front of me. That's odd.' Ash couldn't explore the thought further because Darrel was speeding down the main drive. Then Ash got one of the bigger shocks of the day by Darrel.  
  
"Hey Ash?"  
  
"Yeah Darrel?"  
  
"I think you had better be careful around my sister."  
  
"Tara? Why?"  
  
"I think she has a crush on you." Ash felt all the colour drain from his face. He was officially panicking when Darrel told him something else. "And I think it's serious."  
  
"Waaaaaa! I hardly know your sister!" Ash practically yelled. Darrel had a big grin on his face.  
  
"You know I wouldn't mind you for a brother-in-law." Ash was not impressed. Fear Tara! Screamed his mind. Definitely fear Tara. Darrel got the look of sheer panic he was looking for and laughed hard.  
  
"Watch the road." Ash grumbled.   
  
"Pikaaa! Pika-chu-pi?" Ash looked into the back and saw Pikachu and Abra talking. When Ash turned around to them, they immediately shut up.  
  
Kolbind first Pokemon center  
  
"Your sure that you haven't seen this boy before?" Asked Misty to the Nurse Joy behind the counter. Misty was holding up a copy of the picture Snap had taken of their group a long time ago.  
  
"No I'm sorry Misty. I haven't seen him before." Misty got a very depressed look on her face.  
  
"Well Brock he's not here." Brock was told to wait outside the center while Misty investigated. The reason she told him to stay outside was she didn't want any lovey-dovey junk between the two(if that was possible) so that she could ask about Ash.  
  
"There's supposed to be a two more pokemon centers in the town, We should find one before nightfall." Brock had an equal look of disappointment as Misty on his face. The duo and Togepi went down the road and stopped at a intersection.  
  
"Not a lot of people around." Misty commented.  
  
"There's a curfew because of the pokemon tournament that's being held at the stadium." The two turned to see and Officer Jenny behind them.   
  
"Hi Officer Jenny!" said Brock in a sappy voice. Misty pulled on his ear.  
  
"Snap out of it Brock. What's this about a tournament Officer Jenny?" Jenny took out a pair of handcuffs.   
  
"I'll tell you down at the station. You should have been indoors hours ago." Misty had a look of panic on her features.  
  
"But Officer! We just arrived today and didn't know about the curfew!"  
  
"Today? You're pokemon trainers? Alright then, I'll let it slide this once." Suddenly a corvette came out of nowhere and was bulleting down the street at the maximum speed limit. As they passed Misty saw a teen with dark coloured hair and someone smaller with blonde hair.  
  
"Speed Demons!" Yelled Misty at them as they passed by. Then something happened. The blonde boy turned and looked at Misty and Brock and they both felt -something. It was a feeling of deja vue; that you had met someone before but couldn't place it. Then the feeling was gone as soon as they were out of sight.  
  
"Who was that?" asked Brock to no one. When Officer Jenny answered him he was thinking hard. He had seen those eyes before.  
  
"That was the new district D champion. Since your new here I'll tell you. There are four districts in this town; A, B, C, and D. Since this city is so big, it would be impossible for a police force to maintain order at all times. Instead, there are district champions who keep the trainers in line. It works well because, the champions are a symbol of that district and the district wants the best reputation. That was the District D champion and champion challenger.  
  
"Champion challenger?" Asked Brock.  
  
"If you win one match against a district champion. You can become the district champion if the current champ passes his title over willingly but, it would take about two weeks to become official. If the champion is stubborn, then the district champion would have to have another battle with the champion challenger to decide who would have the title.  
  
"That sounds confusing." Said Misty.  
  
"So the people who just sped by are the current champion and the champion challenger?" Officer Jenny put her hands on her hip and smiled.  
  
"Yep! The current champion is willing to give up his title but, for some odd reason, the champion challenger won't go through with the title exchange. My guess is that he's taking the badge challenge right now." Misty and Brock exchanged glance.  
  
"What's this tournament you mentioned?" Asked Misty.  
  
"There is a tournament going on at the stadium. You can't enter because you're late. You can go watch though. I'll let you kids go then and be sure to find somewhere to stay the night."  
  
"Thanks Officer Jenny. You were a great help." Called Misty over her shoulder.  
  
"Don't go that way!" Yelled Officer Jenny. Misty and Brock stopped.  
  
"Why not?" They asked as soon as Officer Jenny came back.  
  
"The area your heading into is district D."  
  
"So?" asked Brock.  
  
"Every city has it's bad part of town. You wouldn't last three minutes down that way. Come with me, you can stay the night at the station. I'll have someone show you around tomorrow." Officer Jenny, Brock(drooling of course) and Misty went down to district A to the police station.  
  
"Ash? Something wrong?" Asked Darrel. Ash had turned around and turned pale.  
  
"I thought I saw someone else I recognized."  
  
"Team rocket?" Ash shook his head.  
  
"No, someone I fear even worse." Darrel looked over to Ash and then the rearview mirror. When he didn't see anyone he pressed who. "The friends I left behind." Darrel put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Do they know that your OK?" Ash nodded. "Then that should be enough for them. Don't worry, once things cool off between you and team rocket, you can go home.  
  
"I hope so." Ash said and then went silent. Ash watched the buildings pass by and though about Richie for a minute. Ash knew it was time to tell him about Mew.  
  
Stadium  
  
"Stupid kids." Growled Butch. "Think they're better than team rocket. Did you see that snob? Acting like the reporters weren't even there." Butch was showing Cassidy for the first time that he was jelous of someone else's talent.   
  
"You overdid it when you told that kid you would beat him up." Said Cassidy. Butch just snorted and turned back to what he was doing.  
  
"I don't care. I'm sure that the Ketchum kid will show up here. Once we have taken everyone in the Stadium hostage that is." Sneered Butch.  
  
"Don't get over confidant. We'll set up our operation tonight and pull it off at the finals. No trainer could resist watching a final battle. Once the battles over, we'll spring the trap."  
  
"Jessie." Whined James.  
  
"What!?" she growled.  
  
"The stadiums closed, can we take a break now?"  
  
"Quit you whining!" growled Meowth for her. "We've got to get this tunnel dug so we can snatch some pokemon."  
  
"But we've been at it for hours." Whined James.  
  
"We can stop once we're finished. Now shut up and dig." Snapped Jessie Team rocket was still digging at sunrise.  
  
Next Day  
  
"Another day another battle." Said Ash cheerfully as he left the room.  
  
"Yeah." Said Richie with very little enthusiasm. Ash turned to look at his friend. Richie had gotten quiet since last night when Ash had told him the whole story behind his leaving. Richie paled at Ash's recount of the kidnapping, rescue and escape at the hospital. Most importantly, the proof of Mew that it all happened.  
  
"You OK? You've been quiet every since last night." Ash asked worried. Richie looked at his friend and saw Ash's expression of concern.  
  
"You're not worried one bit are you?" Richie said in surprise.  
  
"Nope." Ash did a pose with a peace sign and Pikachu on his shoulder copied his infamous pose.  
"I figure that they'll never catch this Ketchum. There's nothing to be worried about if I'm alert."  
  
"Then I'll be worried enough for you." Said Richie. Ash gave his friend a playful punch on the shoulder.  
  
"Why worry? They don't know who I am and this disguise is perfect! They won't find me in a million years."  
  
"Ash, this is serious." Said Richie suddenly. His tone commanded all of Ash's attention. "You can't run forever. Your going to get caught sooner or later."  
  
"How can they catch someone who isn't there?" Ash interrupted.  
  
"What? Be serious! This is important."  
  
"I am being serious. They are looking for Ash Ketchum not Ash the unknown trainer."  
  
"You won't stay unknown forever if you keep winning these battles." Growled Richie. Ash went silent. "Ash you need to go home and figure this out."  
  
"I can't. Not until I find a way to reverse what team rocket did to me. I don't feel like Ash Ketchum anymore."  
  
"What?" Asked Richie. "You don't feel like Ash? You are Ash Ketchum, how can you not feel like him?"  
  
"It's hard to explain. The only thing that could come close to describing this feeling is that I'm changing from the inside out and I-I don't know if that's a good thing Richie, I really don't." Pikachu put a hand on his trainers cheek in sympathy.  
  
"Pikachu, pi-pika-chu."  
"You still have me Ash."  
  
"Thanks Pikachu. I needed that. Shall we go and kick some tournament butt?"  
  
"Pikachu!"  
"You bet!   
  
"Then lets go!" Ash turned down the hallway and called for Richie to follow. "Hey Richie! Are you coming?" Richie looked at Sparky and smiled.  
  
"Sure am. Wait up!" The two friends went off to the tournament with Darrel in the corvette. As soon as they got there, they were mobbed by reporters again. After reaching the safety of the locker room, Ash came face to face with Gary.  
  
"Well if it isn't the ego king from the other day. Hope your ready to lose because I'm going to win!" Ash ignored his snide remark and got ready to go out next.  
  
"Hope you're ready to lose because I'm not going to lose to a second rate trainer like you." Ash said as quietly as he could as he brushed past him to the stadium area, Gary was astonished! The voice sounded like Ash but, Ash would never say anything like that to Gary.  
  
"Pikachu-pika-chu-pi-pika."  
"Didn't know you had it in you."  
  
"Neither did I" Ash said smugly as he walked towards the stadium entrance. Ash took his appointed position and waited for his opponent. Who he saw was a bit of a surprise.   
  
'I don't believe it! It's A.J.' Ash thought pleasantly surprised. 'Time to get some revenge!'  
  
"Hey Pikachu look who it is. Want a rematch with sandshrew?" Pikachu's eyes narrowed as soon as the rock pokemon was released.  
  
"PI!"  
"Yes!"  
  
"Pikachu! I choose you!" The battle began. At the end of the battle the announcer went ballistic.  
  
"I don't believe what I have just seen folks! The district D champion's Pikachu took out all three of the challengers pokemon. I have never seen such skill! One, two three and they were all out. What a display of skill! If the D champion keeps this up, he'll win the tournament for sure.  
  
In the stands  
  
'This kid is good. The ego king here could be a problem. I should have grandfather send me my best for the finals.' (Guess who this is. Duhh!)  
  
"Brock! Did you see that!" Misty exclaimed in surprise. Brock was watching the blonde haired boy who was known as the district D champion.  
  
"Yeah, that was some match." Brock said absentmindedly. Misty hit him with her mallet.  
  
"Not that! The D champ. Didn't you think there was something familiar about his style?"  
  
"Yes, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Misty's eyes burned.  
  
"Yeah! Some fool let Ash get his hands on some hair dye. Now we know where he is. How do you want to go about this?"  
  
"I say we jump him as soon as he gets out of the stadium."  
  
"My thoughts exactly." Grinned Misty.  
  
"Wow! Did you see that match?" Asked James in awe.  
  
"Pretty impressive." Said Jessie.  
  
"That kids got the right stuff." Said Meowth. "I bet he trains his pokemon all day and night. The pokemon should be just right for stealing."  
  
After  
  
"Way to go Ash!" Cheered Richie. "Remind me not to ask you for a rematch."  
  
"Thanks." Ash grinned as Richie gave him a thwap on the back.  
  
"I don't know who you feel like right now but six straight perfects in two days is not too shabby. Who are you going to use tomorrow?"  
  
"Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Rapidash, Kingler, Snorlax and I'm considering of using Abra."  
  
"What?!!! Are you insane?! That's a bit risky isn't it?" Ash shrugged.   
  
"I'll use Abra if it's an emergency. I can't shake a bad feeling that something is going to happen tomorrow."  
  
"It's just your imagination. Here comes Darrel." Ash tuned to see Darrel ahead of about thirty reporters. Ash sighed and began to move to the crowd.  
  
"Sorry Ash but, your going to have to answer a few questions if we want to get out of here this time." Darrel said. Ash looked at the reporters and got an idea.  
  
"I'll answer all the questions asked of me.." Ash said. With that the group of reporters began to ask questions. "by one person only." Ash added quickly. The group looked at each other. "Decide among yourselves before I change my mind." As Ash had planned, the reporters began to argue and Ash was lucky to slip out in the confusion.  
  
"I wish I had thought of that when I was younger." Said Darrel as the trio headed out on the road.  
  
"How did you ever think of that?" demanded Richie. Ash put his hands behind his head and began a story.  
  
"I've pulled that type of trick off before. On team rocket of course." Darrel laughed and Richie went a little pale.  
  
"Elaborate." Said Darrel through chuckles. "I need a good laugh." Ash smiled and went to a flashback.  
  
"It happened about a week before my capture. Team rocket ran into another group of rockets that wanted my pokemon. I was in no condition to fight so I turned them against each other.'  
  
"How?" Asked Richie no interested.  
  
"Well you've met Jessie and James. There's a pair called Butch and Cassidy that are also in team rocket that just hate them. I already knew about the friction between them and said some smart aleck comments that got them fighting. I was especially proud of the 'Are you going to let such amateurs order you around?' jibe."  
  
"Ouch!" laughed Richie. Ash crossed his arms and began to hum a tune that sorta sounded familiar. Ash was unaware that what he was doing was a built in protection device of the Ultimate Trainer.   
  
'He calls.' Thought a pokemon under the sea. 'It is time to gather the others.' The pokemon left the safety of the depths and flew.  
  
"I can't believe he gave us the slip!" roared Misty. "It was like he knew we were coming! When I get my hands on that district D chump, I'll-I'll…"  
  
"You'll what?" Asked Brock interested in her revenge.  
  
"Do something obviously!" snapped Misty.  
  
'I just wish I knew what.' She thought glumly. 'That boy! I don't know whether to kiss him or slap him. It's just like him to be so noble.'  
  
"Just don't kill him. Leave that job for his mother." Brock said.  
  
"Alright."  
  
Next Day  
  
Ash had gotten up and had taken a shower when he heard the commotion outside. Ash dried himself off and got dressed. Richie was up as Ash left the bathroom with his head stuck out the window.  
  
"Uhh. Ash? You better take a look at this." Richie said in a jittery tone. Ash obliged and got a look of the crowd outside. The first though that entered Ash's mind was..  
  
"No way!" Ash could guess why the crowd was there. "What did Darrel do?!" Asked Ash in disbelief. "It looks like everyone in the district is here!"  
  
"Actually, everyone in two districts." Ash and Richie turned to see Darrel in the doorway with two very intimidating brutes. "Time to go to the stadium." Before Ash could protest that he hadn't eaten, he was rushed out the door.  
  
"Wait! Pikachu!" Ash was let go of their grip to collect his pokemon.  
  
"Pikachu?" Ash didn't need to have special abilities to know what Pikachu was asking.  
  
"I know Pikachu and I don't like it either." Ash was led downstairs to the main lobby to find it empty. "Wha?"  
  
"No ones allowed in. We had to get police protection for you. I've never seen so many people gather in one place before. The news is out and your quite the popular guy." Ash had a thought strike him.  
  
"That wouldn't be because of what I told you over dinner is it?" Darrel smiled.  
  
"Not all of the story leaked out." Ash groaned.   
  
"Thanks." Ash growled. Darrel smiled and pat his back.  
  
"Not a problem. Just do me one favor? Win the tournament, I have a fifty spot riding on you." Ash walked out the doors between Darrel, his two buddies and a lot of officers. They made it to the corvette with no interruptions and soon Ash was at the stadium.  
  
"Like I would ever think that this would happen." Ash thought out loud.  
  
"What?" Asked Richie. Ash was caught off guard and shook himself to clear his thoughts.  
  
"I never would have thought that I would leave my friends and this would happen. I'm wanted by team rocket, famous and I'm not enjoying it." Richie looked at Ash's worried face.  
  
"Fame isn't as cool as it's cracked up to be is it?" Ash shook his head.   
  
"Time to battle!" Ash said solemnly as he entered the locker room. Still unable to shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen, Ash prepared his pokemon. "Come on out everyone. I want to talk." All the pokemon came out of their pokeballs and sat down.  
  
"What's up Ash?" Asked Pikachu. Ash was thankful that for the moment he could understand his pokemon.  
  
"I can't shake a feeling that something is wrong. Promise me something?"  
  
"Shoot." Said Bulbasaur.  
  
"Promise me that if something happens today that you'll stick together? I also want you to promise me that you'll be careful out there today."  
  
"Technically that's two things but sure. I promise." Said Pikachu.  
  
"Ditto!" agreed the rest of his pokemon except for Mew.  
  
"What about you Abra? Or should I be asking Mew about this?" Abra/ Mew tilted his head to the right and nodded.  
  
"I agree." Said Mew telepathically.   
  
"Then let's go win this thing." Ask put his hand in the middle of the semi circle and all the pokemon followed suite.  
  
Meanwhile  
  
"What are you two doing here!" Growled Jessie as she sized up her opponent underneath the stadium.  
  
"None of your business!" Snapped Butch. Meowth was staying out of this fight.  
  
"Of course it's our business! As your superiors we want an answer!" Cassidy and Butch had a gleam of pure hatred in their eyes as James butted in.  
  
"We won't tell you!" Growled Cassidy. Jessie put a hand up to her cheek and laughed.  
  
"HA HA HA HAA! You have to! Or we can tell the boss that your having problems with authority!" Butch and Cassidy gave each other a look of regret. They knew that Jessie and James had them over a barrel.  
  
"This is what we got planned." Said Cassidy reluctantly.  
  
Above  
  
"Another fabulous win for the D district champion. In all my years of reporting pokemon battles, this one takes the cake! All six of his opponents pokemon were fainted by a single Kingler. He will go onto the final round against the winner of the next match. That makes this the first time in the history of this tournament that someone has gotten a perfect score to the finals! Wish him luck folks!" Ash went off to the change room and sat down.  
  
"How are you Kingler? Not too tired I hope." Kingler shook what he had of a head. "How about you Snorlax?" Snorlax didn't answer because it was sleeping.  
  
"ZZZZZZ!"  
  
"I guess that answers my question. Snorlax return!" The tubby pokemon was sucked into his pokeball. "I choose you! Tauros!" Ash held up a pokeball containing his pokemon.  
  
"Pika?"  
  
"Don't worry Pikachu. I'll just switch Tauros for Snorlax so I have a fresh pokemon for the competition."  
  
"Time to go finalist." Jeered Darrel behind the locker room door.  
  
"Let's win this Pikachu!" Pikachu jumped on Ash's shoulder and pointed a paw to the door."  
  
"Lets go get'em." Said Pikachu. Ash laughed.  
  
"That's the attitude I want. Lets go!" Ash walked out of the locker room and out into the arena. Ash was shocked to see Gary on the other side of the ring.  
  
"Down to me and you ego king. Let's see what you're made of." Gary said the wrong thing to the wrong person. Ash was angry; his passion and will to win burned brighter.  
  
"Lets get this on."  
  
1 Hour later.  
  
"This is a battle of all battles! Neither side has given any mercy. They are both down to their last pokemon with the early withdraw of Tauros. All of Gary Oaks pokemon have been fainted. The district D champion has recalled all of his pokemon after the matches. It is down to the champs Pikachu and Gary's Umbreon. (The fight went like this Gastly-Abra, Fearow-Kingler, Sandslash-Bulbasaur, Eggsecuter-Rapidash, Alakazam-Tauros,)   
  
"What? Giving up already?" Sneered Gary.  
  
"No just waiting for you to send out the next pokemon."  
  
"Go Umbreon!" Yelled Gary.   
  
"I choose you! Pikachu!" Ash yelled as his pokemon leapt out to do battle.  
  
"Time for a rematch." Growled Pikachu at Gary's Umbreon.  
  
"Have we met?" Asked the Umbreon.  
  
"We battled when you were Eevee. I've gotten better since then." Pikachu crouched close to the ground and prepared to attack.  
  
"Faint attack!" Ordered Gary. Ash waited before giving out his order.  
  
"Pikachu! Wait for it!"  
  
"Gotcha!" Pikachu had been powering up the entire match for the attack. This attack was the equal of ten thunder moves. Ash had thought of it as they went out to the arena. Pikachu would be gathering energy long before it would battle and then would relax. The effect would be a build up of electrical energy that Pikachu would contain throughout Pikachu' body. Once Umbreon hit Pikachu with any attack, that would be game over.  
  
"That's it. Get it Umbreon!" Encouraged Gary. Ash watched as Umbreon neared Pikachu and got an idea.  
  
"Pikachu! Dive to your right!" Ash yelled at the last second. Pikachu did as told and Umbreon sailed past him. "Pikachu! Bite him in the tail and then release the energy!"  
  
'Oh, I get it' Thought Pikachu as dived under the Umbreon.  
  
'The electricity Pikachu had built up will work better if Pikachu has a more direct line to Umbreon's body. If Pikachu bites Umbreon and unleashes the electricity, it will be a one hit KO for sure.'  
  
"Pika!" Yelled Pikachu in a battle cry as it did a flip to face the tail in question.  
  
"Umbreon, sand-attack." Yelled Gary suddenly.  
  
"Pikachu! Close your eyes!" Countered Ash. Pikachu closed it's eyes as it leapt forward and Umbreon kicked up some sand. Pikachu was faster than Umbreon and instead of biting a tail, Pikachu bite Umbreons leg.  
  
"Umbreon!" Growled the Umbreon in pain.  
  
"Now! Pikachu!" Pikachu opened it's eyes. Turned the sides of his mouth in a bit of a smile and sparks of electricity sparked from his cheeks.  
  
"Umbreon! Quick attack!" Gary yelled. Ash smiled at his opponents' optimism. Umbreon would not get up after this attack.  
  
"Chuuuu!" yelled Pikachu with his teeth in the other pokemon's leg. There was a rumble before the flash.  
  
"Zaaaaaaapppppp!" A large amount of electricity blinded the audience and short circuited the lights. Every person in the arena was in darkness except for one pokemon in the middle of the field.  
  
"Pikachu!" Pikachu was glowing a bright yellow, gold glow. Pikachu's movements could be traced by the crowd as the pokemon went back to it's trainer. Ash had descended the stairs and Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms; illuminating his features.  
  
"We seem ~crackle~ having ~zzzt~ difficulties. One moment ~scrrr~" Then the lights went back on.  
  
'So Pikachu. What do we call that move? Electric Bite?' Whispered Ash.  
  
"Try Thunder Thrash." Said Pikachu in a voice that everyone could hear. Of course they heard Pikachu -Chu-Pika. Ash didn't smile when he saw Umbreon. It was breathing and in the middle of a black ring that the electricity made.  
  
"Umbreon! Are you alright?!" Cried Gary as he ran towards his unconscious pokemon. Gary knelt by his pokemon and lifted it's head on Gary's lap.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen! We have a winner! The district D champion has won it in a fantastic display of a new move from his Pikachu." The roar was deafening! Ash had no other cheer to compare it to. It sounded like an eruption it was so loud. Ash then focused back at Gary; defeated and alone.  
  
"Pi?" Pikachu saw Ash's features change. Ash had lived to see the day when he beat Gary. Now that it was here, it was a bittersweet victory. Ash walked over to Gary and knelt.  
  
"Umbreon will be OK. It's just a little shocked. If you take it to a pokemon center, it should be back to normal by tomorrow morning," Gary looked up at Ash and saw who he truly was. 


	10. Chapter8part2

Ash did the mistake of blocking out the light so only his silhouette could be seen.  
  
"Ash?" he asked in disbelief. Ash nodded and smiled.   
  
"Looks like you're the first person to see who I really was." Gary stood up slowly cradling Umbreon.  
  
"I may be the loser this time but, at least I have style. What did you do to your hair? It looks atrocious!" Ash sighed a cloud out of his mouth anime style.  
  
"Don't ask." Gary held out his hand and Ash was stunned.  
  
"Great match." Ash looked at the outstretched hand and put out his own in friendship.  
  
"Yeah, great match." Ash agreed. Gary then noticed something coming Ash's way from the stands and smiled wider.  
  
"Your wrong about me finding you out first." Said Gary with the same arrogance that he always had.  
  
"What?" Ash asked confused. Gary gestured with his head.  
  
"Look behind you." Ash prayed that Gary wasn't serious about it but, turned anyway. What he came face to face was Misty and Brock. Before anyone could clobber him or say anything, the stadium began to rumble.  
  
"Crummmbble. KA-BOOM!" When the dust cleared, a metallic monster that resembled a giant Nidoking had emerged in the middle of the field. Then, two voices could be heard clearly from the clunker.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  
  
Author note: Those wondering why I haven't translated all of the poketalk, it is because Ash isn't used to his power yet and the translating wavers now and then.  



	11. Chapter9

Chapter 9  
  
"Prepare for trouble!" came a female voice from the metal monster.  
  
"And make it double!" echoed her male cohort   
  
"To protect the world from devastation." Ash was already thinking two steps ahead of them and motioned for his pokemon to come to him  
  
"To unite all people within our nation." By then all of Ash's pokemon were out and Ash was kneeling down.  
  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love." Ash was whispering something to his pokemon.  
  
"To extend our reach to the stars above." Ash had finished whispering and gave his pokemon a wink.   
  
"Jessie." Abra and Pikachu stepped in front of Ash waiting for the signal to come.  
  
"James." All of Ash's pokemon (Tauros, Rapidash, Kingler and Bulbasaur.) went to the locker area.  
  
"Team rocket blast off at the speed of light."  
  
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."  
  
"Meowth, Nobody move! This is a hostage situation." Ash blinked. Ash had thought for sure that they had recognized him and decided to get him when his pokemon were all tired. Ash's plan was to stall until the others could secure a way out of the stadium; that is, try not to be caught while stalling. Just then, the announcers box was taken over.  
  
"Now hear this! No one in the audience shall move from their seats. The general population is listening so here are our demands. For the release and security of this entire crowd, we want Ash Ketchum the pokemon trainer to hand himself over to team rocket." Said a gruff male voice that Ash recognized as Butch.  
  
"Rummble!" The crowd began to panic as rocket poured out from the exits. Pikachu watched as his trainer's hands curl into fists. Ash had fire in his eyes and he was angry. How dare someone do this! Misty obviously echoed Ash's feelings  
  
"You can't do this!" roared Misty from behind Ash. Ash turned to see his friends behind him. Misty, Brock, and Richie were there. Gary had already left to stop team rocket from blocking the exits.  
  
'They just did.' Ash thought gravely. 'I never expected this! An entire stadium in exchange for me! What am I gonna do?' Ash looked and could see the crowd being bullied by rocket grunts. There was so many of them!  
  
"Abra!" Ash growled. Abra and Pikachu turned to their trainer. "Change of plans. Either we take them out now or we are captured. With me?" Both pokemon didn't move from their battling positions. "I thoughts so. Pikachu! Abra! Go!." James saw the pair heading for them.  
  
"Look Jessie. The champ wants to battle with those pathetic pokemon of his." Jessie watched from the control room of the king-sized Nidoking.  
  
"Let's give them a battle to remember! Up top James. Meowth, take over."  
  
"Right!" Jessie and James left the safety of their armored tank to battle Ash. Team rocket's pride would not be a quality that would be helpful to them this time.  
  
"Go Wheezing." James said as he tossed his pokemon out to the floor to battle.  
  
"Go Arbok!" mimicked Jessie. A stream of red light released the pokemon. The pokemon got ready to battle when they saw something different about their foes.  
  
"Wheez?" Asked Wheezing at the charging pokemon. The two pokemon slowed but didn't stop. The story was yelled loud and clear so everyone in the stadium could hear it of course it was in poke-language though..  
  
"Pika ka pi. Pikachu pi pika chu pi, pikachu pi pika pi pikachu Ash is the Ultimate Trainer. Stand before him and you'll be betraying all pokemon everywhere. If you care for your trainers, go back into your pokeballs NOW!" Arbok and Wheezing looked across the way to see if it was true. To their surprise, they saw the mark that all pokemon knew about but had never seen before. In shock and fear, the pokemon returned.  
  
"What? Arbok go!" Yelled Jessie in surprise. Arbok had returned to it's ball. Jessie tossed her pokemon out again only to have her pokemon refuse to come out. The same thing went for James and when they tried their other pokemon, the same thing happened.  
  
"Pikachu Thunder! Abra Psybeam!" ordered Ash. The pokemon did as told and aimed their attacks at the massive junkyard before them.  
  
"Pikachu!!!!" Yelled Pikachu as thousands volts of electricity hurled at the Nidoking and was echoed by Abra's attack.  
  
"Ahhhh!" Screamed Jessie and James before they got back into the control room. The attack had hit when they were trying to get inside. The control room was protected but the outside wasn't.  
  
"Hah! You'll have to better than that!" Crowed Meowth over the microphone. Meanwhile Ash's pokemon were charging down rockets in the stadium. Ash saw some of the battle from his perch and decided to help. Ash saw that the rockets were dwindling and people were escaping.   
  
'I'll provide more of a distraction to get team rockets attention, but how?' Ash then saw his window of opportunity. His bag had been left beside the podium that he ordered his matches from. 'I would have to do this sometime anyway.' Ash thought bitterly. Ash ran and picked up his bag. Just then he heard a loud Pika of warning.   
  
"Look out Pikachu!" Ash shouted as an attack that resembled a horn drill came down on…Abra!  
Abra had teleported in front of Pikachu and had taken the hit. Abra was hurt but not out. Ash ran to his pokemon.  
  
"Pika!" Roared Pikachu in a berserk battle cry. Ash arrived just as Pikachu continued the battle on it's own. Ash ran to pick up Abra.   
  
"Pikachu! Be careful!" Ash yelled at the top of his lungs. Pikachu didn't listen and was attacking ferociously. The machine ignored Pikachu for a moment and concentrated on Abra. "No!" Ash yelled as he got in the way of a metallic punch. Abra watched as Ash and her flew in the air. Ash had protected her with his body! Pikachu came to Ash's defense to be grabbed by the metallic miscreant.   
  
"Piikachu!" Screamed Pikachu in pain as one of the mechanical arms grabbed him and threw him into a wall.  
  
'No!' Ash thought as he ran towards his poor pokemon with Abra in his arms. Ash looked around to see Pikachu. The rubble where the wall had collapsed on Pikachu was too large and he was scrambling to find Pikachu when Abra gave Ash the warning.   
  
"Look out!" Ash turned to see the silver Nidoking move their way. Ash barely got out of the way as a hand went to pluck him from the ground.  
  
"Give it up. You don't have a chance! If one hostage remains, Ash Ketchum will give in and we'll win." Ash turned around to see Cassidy and Butch behind him holding Pikachu. Pikachu was in bad shape.  
  
"Now surrender quietly while you still can" ordered Butch. Ash was in luck! They hadn't recognized him yet! He still had a chance to survive if he played his cards right. Jessie, James and Meowth had learned to wear protective clothing over the years while holding Pikachu. Cassidy and Butch hadn't.  
  
"This ones ours!" Yelled Jessie from the silver giant. Cassidy stuck her nose up in the air.   
  
"Ash Ketchum will show up. When he does, the boss will forget all about you and this mistake about you being out superiors will be erased." Cassidy said with a sneer.  
  
'The people must have gotten out by now. I don't see anyone here. It's just me and them now. Where are Misty, Brock and Richie? I guess I'm on my own.' Ash then knew it was time to run. Ash whispered to Abra to do a Triattack move on the Nidoking so it would be a distraction.  
  
"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered. In unconsciousness Pikachu heard the voice of Ash, the Ultimate Pokemon Trainer bid him to attack.   
  
"Pikachu!" Growled Pikachu as it did a weak thunderbolt attack. Cassidy in surprise, dropped Pikachu. Ash was already running towards the pair and caught Pikachu just before the pokemon hit and dived under the legs of the startled rockets.  
  
"Triattack!" Yelled Ash as he got up off the floor. Abra obliged and sent the attack at the Nidoking. That meant going through Cassidy and Butch. The pair was unconscious before the attack hit the Nidoking.  
  
'That takes care of the pair on the ground, now I have to worry about that machine.' Ash ran up the stadium steps hoping that the Nidoking couldn't climb.  
  
"After him!" Roared Jessie. Their pride was wounded and they had been taken by surprise.   
  
'Uh oh!' Ash thought as he saw the machine began to follow by crushing the seats. Ash wasn't going to get out of this one easily. Ash spotted rockets heading his way from below. Ash got to the top and turned to his left. The steps leading down had rockets coming up it.  
  
"Stop him!" Yelled one of them.  
  
'Wrong way!' Ash thought as he turned on a dime and ran the opposite direction. Ash was about to run down the opposite stairs when he saw a red R in his way. Ash decided that there was only one way to go and that was up. Ash climbed up the stairs to the next level where the rockets on the ground could follow but the ones in the Nidoking couldn't  
  
"Out and After him!" Growled Meowth.   
  
"Right! Oops!" Squeaked James. He had rammed into the stairway. Ash was almost thrown off.  
  
"Yahh!" Ash yelled as he went over the rail. It was by mere instinct alone that Ash grabbed the railing. Pikachu and Abra had been dropped on the steps. Ash managed to pull himself up just as he noticed something.  
  
'Thanks Jessie, James, Meowth. Your blunder allowed me to escape. Those other rockets can't get up the stairs now.' Underneath Ash was a lot of twisted metal and collapsed debris. Ash grunted as he pulled himself up and landed on the stairs. Pikachu was in bad shape and Abra wasn't much better. Ash collected his pokemon as he went to the roof. Ash saw the fire escape on the other side and ran for it.  
  
"Stop right there!" Ash heard Jessie's voice. Ash didn't slow down until he saw the rockets climbing up the escape. Ash was trapped.  
  
"Looks like you ran out of room to run." Sneered James. Ash was backing up to the corner that overlooked the parking lot. The rockets coming up the fire escape decided to try and surprise Ash. They rushed him. Ash jumped out of the way and onto the cement railing. The team rockets stopped. Down below the entire world was watching the scene unfold.   
  
"Look up there! The district D champ is in trouble!" Misty, Brock, Richie and Darrel looked to see Ash on top of a wall with his back turned to him. Ash's pokemon with the help of Ash's friends had gotten all the people out.  
  
'Ash!' Screamed all of their minds as they saw Ash on the wall. News people had started to record again.  
  
"Look kid. Don't do anything rash." Said Jessie. She saw the blonde haired menace jump onto the railing when the rocket grunts tried to grab him. He had nowhere to run now.  
  
"We just want yous to flush out the Ketchum kid. Once he gives himself up, you'll be released." Said Meowth in a soothing tone. Ash turned to the three rockets he recognized and decided enough was enough. Ash was going to show who he was, he had enough of hiding and it was time to come out. Ash would never surrender to team rocket and he wanted to go as Ash Ketchum, not as Ash the district D champ.  
  
"I never have given up to you in the past, what makes you think I'll start now?!" Growled Ash in a deep tone. As soon as Ash had spoken, the three immediately saw the boy before them as Ash. The rocket grunts who didn't realize that Ash was the one they were after, decided that they had enough playing around, and tried to rush him again.  
  
"No! Stop you idiots!" Barked the three together. It was too late. Ash had been pushed off. The entire world watched him fall.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ash saw his life flash before his eyes again. His mom. His friends. His pokemon. It was like the experience in the vat. Only this time…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I don't want to die.  
  
You cannot die. Not until your purpose is served.  
  
Who are you?  
  
I am you. You are me. We are the gift given to you at birth.  
  
At birth? I thought….  
  
The power was released a little. You've had the power all along.  
  
I don't believe you  
  
Yes you do.  
  
WHY ME?  
  
Because there can be no one else. I can save you.  
  
How?  
  
Let yourself go.  
  
……  
  
Stop fighting it and your purpose can be filled.  
  
I just want to be a normal kid! I don't want any of this.  
  
You accepted a long time ago that you were different.  
  
I know… I just want a normal life. Is that too much to ask?  
  
No  
  
Then why can I have what I ask for?  
  
Because everyone needs you. You are the only one that can bring people and pokemon together.  
  
I don't understand. How am I supposed to do that?  
  
By example  
  
I-I   
  
Accept your fate! You are the Ultimate Trainer! There will never be another like you!  
  
Never?  
  
Never!  
  
What do I have to do?  
  
Let yourself be carried on the waves.  
  
What?  
  
The sea comes. The time comes.  
  
What are you talking about?  
  
It is time to lose yourself. Embrace your feelings. That is the key.  
  
My feelings?  
  
Your feelings are what make you powerful. Let go of the doubt and believe.  
  
The only thing I doubt is my sanity.  
  
You doubt your own abilities. Believe in yourself and in your heart you will find the answer.  
  
What answer?  
  
That is for you to decided. Will you let us free? Will you let go of yourself to lead a world?  
  
I don't have a choice do I?  
  
There is always a choice.  
  
I chose to be free.  
  
That is your choice.  
  
What's happening?!  
  
You have made the right choice. You are free now.  
  
Arggg!  
  
Make freedom for yourself and for everyone else. Be brave young master.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ash!" Screamed Misty. She watched as Ash plummeted to the ground at fast pace. Then a music filled the air. "What?" Ash slowed  
  
"Misty!" Said Brock at her side.  
  
"I know!" It was the song of Lugia. Ash had stopped  
  
"What is that?!!!" Asked Richie in surprise. Over the stadium Lugia in the glory and beauty it has, waits.  
  
"Why is it just hovering there?" Asked a person from the crowd. Misty's eyes were blinded from an unknown source for a moment. When she looked to the source, she realized it was Ash.  
  
"Ash!" She screamed in shock. Ash no longer had blonde hair and he wasn't wearing his disguise anymore. Ash was hovering no more than two stories over the pavement and he was Ash again. Down to the last detail Ash had been restored to his former self. Pokemon included.  
  
"Look!" cried another person from the crowd. Ash no longer had a pokemon in disguise either. Mew was restored to her original shape. Ash then had something happen to him.  
  
"Master, I am here by your side,  
Your decision I will abide.  
Chosen one, befriended one, loved one.  
The Ultimate Trainer you be,  
Love endless as the sea.  
To be free."  
  
"Wake master.". He was restored and when he awoke he no longer had brown eyes. Instead he had eyes the colour of the ocean. A blue that seemed endless as a sapphire sea. Ash woke to the sounds of the music. Ash opened an eye to see Mew. Mew had smiled as it remembered the masters concern for her. "It is time for all to know you."  
  
"Mew? What happened?." Ash asked quietly.  
  
"You came into your power." Said a voice from above. Ash looked to see Lugia. Ash had seen Lugia on his adventures before but it still was a shock to see the pokemon.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Ash asked groggly. Ash was so tired, he felt like he had just emerged from the pond of pokemon again  
  
"They came to protect you." Said a familiar voice. Pikachu had been restored to health and was on Ash's shoulder.  
  
"They?" Ash asked. Pikachu pointed to the sky. Ash then saw what Pikachu was pointing at. Above Ash could barely make out the legendary bird Ho-oh. Then Pikachu pointed to the ground and Ash could see in the distance the legendary dogs. Ash was in shock.  
  
"You were right you know Pikachu." Said Mew. The electric pokemon focused on the psychic pokemon before him.  
  
"What?" Pikachu asked Mew  
  
"People are far more dangerous than pokemon."  
  
"Oh" Pikachu had told Mew a while ago that people were more dangerous to Ash than anything now. It was ironic that things had turned out the way they had. It proved Pikachu's point in Mew's opinion.   
  
"It is time to go Ash." Said Lugia in a gentle voice. Ash looked up to Lugia and then looked to the crowd.  
  
"Where are we going?" Ash asked in a quiet voice.  
  
"Home." Said Lugia as it began to descend to Ash.  
  
"Where is that?" Ash asked as he was positioned onto Lugia's back.  
  
"Your home is now with pokemon. Let me take you there." Ash nodded. Lugia knew where Ash would be able to rest. In the comfort of pokemon he would recuperate and become stronger.   
  
"Ash!" Screamed Misty from the crowd. Ash heard her voice and smiled. Misty was the first to feel Ash's new found power.   
  
'I'll be back soon. Don't worry. Go wait for me at home.' Misty shivered as the telepathic power hit her mind. Ash had sent his goodbyes through his mind; Brock, Richie and Gary got the same type of farewell.  
  
"I'll miss you." Ash whispered aloud. Then Lugia began the journey. People all around the world watched as he left. Ash was lifted off in the direction of East. Towards a place called Rain Valley, which harbored many pokemon. His new home.   
  
Meanwhile  
  
'I must have the child. He has the power, the power I need to take over the world.' Thought Giovonni as he watched the scene in his office All of the channels were showing the scene at the stadium. 'I should have gone into the pond first. This wouldn't have happened if I weren't so dammed careful!'  
  
"You have escaped us this time, but mark my words Ketchum! You will be hunted down like a griwlithe and shot. I will see to that!" Giovonni laughed at his own ambition.   
  
'I finally have a foe worthy of me and it is a boy not even half my age. Perhaps he can be turned?'  
  
"You could be an asset to team rocket. I wonder.." Giovonni was in deep thought as a phone call came on his private line.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Sir!" Came a nervous voice over the phone. "The operation was a bust! We've sustained heavy casualties and among the caught are Cassidy and Butch." Giovonni smiled.  
  
"I know that! Get whoever you can together and go to point B. I will meet you there and explain our new objective.  
  
"New objective sir?" Asked the team rocket executive. The voice quivered betraying the executives fear.  
  
"Yes. We have a new operation to hatch." With that, Giovonni hung up the phone and began to plot his next deeds.  
  
In the sky  
  
Ash watched the countryside go by in a blur. He was tired with the days events but, found it impossible to sleep. Mew and Pikachu were traveling on Lugia's head, deep in conversation.   
  
"What will Ash have as shelter? He can't live on the ground like we can." Said Pikachu in an annoyed tone.  
  
"We have a place prepared for him." Said Lugia.  
  
"I hope it is something that befits his station." Said Mew. Ash could sense the pride in her voice. "He should have a home that will house a great many pokemon."  
  
"It is all of that and more. Our chosen one will be happy with us. I hope he will decide to stay with us for a bit longer than needed. There are many pokemon who would like to be in his presence." Said Ho-oh.  
  
'Presence?' Ash thought confused. 'Why would pokemon want to be in my presence?' Ash felt his mind slip from the conversation and into dreams.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
What are you doing little boy?  
  
What do you mean?   
  
Have you not played hero enough?  
  
You're not the same as before.  
  
So you decided to free the power.  
  
I don't have to tell you that.  
  
Of course you have. I would not be here if you hadn't.  
  
Who are you?  
  
Go home, boy from Pallet. You don't deserve to be the Ultimate Trainer.  
  
What?!!!  
  
Poor Ash. Doesn't know what he's doing again.  
  
Stop it!!!  
  
You will die you know.  
  
Stop!!!  
  
And your friends. They will go to.  
  
Stop!!!!  
  
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Everything you touch will be destroyed.  
  
S…T…O…P!  
  
What are you doing? Arggg!  
  
I AM ASH KETCHUM! NO ONE WILL HURT MY FRIENDS!  
  
You are strong. I have underestimated you.  
  
Leave now!  
  
………..  
  
I am Ash Ketchum. As long as I live I will protect my friends and my pokemon; from team rocket or whatever else comes my way.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
In a dark tower on another plane of existence.  
  
"You are strong. Too bad you chose to free the power." The cloaked figure sat on a throne of gold. A pitiful excuse for a pokemon crawled up to him.  
  
"M-master? The gate is finished. You can leave whenever you wish." The cloaked figure growled at the hoppip in his presence.  
  
"You think that will do any good now! Get out of my sight you miserable dirt!" The pokemon scrambled from sight and the cloaked figure rose from his throne.  
  
'I will have to change the boy's heart in order to survive now. Curses! If only I had known sooner who you were, I would not have wasted my time on that incompetent Gary. I was sure that he was the one!' The doors flew open suddenly to reveal a silhouette in darkness.  
  
"You were unable to kill him."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You are helpless now. Do you know your fate?" Mocked the silhouette. The hooded one grunted.  
  
"Be his adviser." The silhouette laughed loudly.  
  
"You? Hardly. Slave is more like it. Too bad Krofost. Looks like I will have a new toy to play with while you are rotting at his side. He will be my puppet, not yours." The hooded one in a fit of anger crackled with his dark energy.  
  
"Enough witch! You will not have him! If I can't control him as a mere boy, you have no hope to control him once he walks through the portal." The silhouette laughed again.  
  
"You have forgotten what is like to be human Krofost. Oh yes, he will have a heart and he will be mine. Watch and see." The silhouette crossed the room and sat on his throne. "I should make myself comfortable." Seething with anger, Krofost hurled a dark force at the woman on his throne. It was reflected with very little effort.  
  
"If I can't control him, neither will anyone else! I will embrace my destiny, just to spite you and that damned council!"   
  
"Hah! I would cherish the council's downfall! Not to worry, he won't make it past the first day! As for your destiny, that was a long time ago and you have no way to pervail this time. I will see the chosen one dead or on my puppet strings." The silhouette vanished with a sparkle of white.  
  
'Oh, I have a plan. I will prevail. I can't believe I'm doing this.' Krofost left the throne room and preceded to a room he had not been to in a long time in the bowels of his fortress.   
  
"Open door!" A door to a large chamber of old prophesies opened before him. There were many magical items here that not even she knew about let alone the council.  
  
'I knew this day would come.' Thought the decrepit old man. 'I just wish I knew why I was fearing it so. It is time to return to my true self.' The door closed and screams could be heard from deep within the fortress.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know what you mean." Said Pikachu with a sigh. "It feels so good to be near him. It's like being in a hot spring." Ho-oh laughed.  
  
"I suppose in a way it is. Ash's presence mirrors what he feels. Right now he's relaxed and tired, so that is how we feel."  
  
"I think we should give him a real bath when we reach the home you prepared for him. It might make him feel better." Said Mew.  
  
"I have a few questions." Pikachu said to Lugia and Ho-oh. "What power does Ash have? I know that he can command all pokemon and understand us but, I don't think that is all. Also, if he is the Ultimate trainer, what happened with the legendary birds? "  
  
"That was out of Ash's control because his powers were just developing. Remember how the orbs glowed? That was Ash's power showing." Ho-oh said in reply. "We were lucky we didn't lose Lugia as well."  
  
"Right you are." Said Lugia. "To answer your first question, Ash has the destiny of a lifetime to fill out. He will have many abilities. The one I think that is most important is the ability to make friends with just about anyone."  
  
"Darrel." Said Pikachu in remembrance. "I would have never thought making friends with him but he surprised me. But Ash had that ability long before team rocket came along." Lugia and Ho-oh laughed together.  
  
"Do you really think that the Ultimate trainer would be given his power? No he has been developing his power for many years now. The pond of pokemon was a boost to get the ball started." Said Lugia.  
  
"Ash was born to be our master. Why do you think he was always a winner when it counted? Ash's will to win unlocked his powers for one moment or two so things would work out for the best." Said Ho-oh in a kind voice "He is destined for greatness."  
  
"He always has been." Said Pikachu. Pikachu got a look from Mew that asked did you know? "Ash always had a passion about him. It was going to make something of him one day."  
  
"I see." Said Mew. "You knew he was special from the very start but didn't know why." Pikachu nodded. Lugia interrupted before the conversation could go any further.  
  
"We are here."  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  
  



	12. Chapter10

Chapter 10  
  
Ash woke to something. Something he didn't know how to describe. It was warm, wonderful and refreshing. Ash began to regain consciousness and was totally exhausted. Ash was mostly tired from the last three days. He had won a tournament, defeated the district D camp and was chased down by team rocket. Ash sighed and snuggled something that was warm and soft. Ash's rational mind kicked in when he suddenly felt the warm mound he was on suddenly move.  
  
'What?' Ash thought. Then more memories flooded his being, His power, his rescue, and his dream all came back clearly. Ash eyes fluttered open and he saw nothing but white. 'White?' Ash thought curiously. Ash rolled over to look up, what he saw startled him awake. It was a glass dome, or what appeared to be a glass dome. Over the glass dome it was raining. Ash saw a beautiful thunderstorm outside and was immediately awed. Ash smiled and watched the storm for a while. It was collage of mystifying light and flashes that seemed to chase each other. Ash felt himself doze when a familiar face interrupted his view.  
  
'How are you?' Ash would have jumped if he didn't recognize his pokemon. It was his Mew. Mew had been there when team rocket captured him and when he won the tournament. Ash was glad to see his pokemon.  
  
"I'm fine. Where are we?" Ash asked. Ash got his reply from someone quite unexpected.  
  
"He's awake is he?" Ash sat up to look for the voice that asked the question. Ash then remembered the white he was sitting on and turned his head around to see a face staring right back at him. "Welcome home master." It was Lugia. Ash smiled as he remembered his rescue.   
  
"Home? Where are we?" Ash asked puzzled. Lugia motioned to the sky with a twitch of his head. Ash looked up to see the storm.  
  
"We are in rain valley young one. It's a place that is unknown to all humans and very few pokemon know about it. It's your new home." Ash stood up and looked up at the storm with awe and realized that it wasn't held back by glass.  
  
"What keeps the rain out?" Ash asked. Mew motioned to the ground and Ash couldn't believe his eyes. More pokemon he had ever seen in one place were gathered at a point in the grass. Ash walked to Lugia's back and was let down his tail. Lugia smiled and followed Ash. Ash went to the circle of pokemon and saw a small pond. Ash was nuzzled forward by Mew and he walked up to the waters edge. In the pond were thousands of water pokemon. It seemed incredibly huge! It was like watching through a glass bottom boat.  
  
"Look deeper." Encouraged Mew. Ash turned to see Mew beside him and then a thought struck him; where was Pikachu? As if on cue, Pikachu popped beside Ash.   
  
"Do as Mew says Ash." Pikachu said with a smile. Ash looked down at the electric pokemon and nodded. Ash couldn't help but gaze back at the pond. It was like there was something that drew him to it. Ash gaze wandered through the water and suddenly, he spotted something. It was a shimmering and as soon as Ash saw it, it disappeared.   
  
"What?" Ash asked in wonder. Ash didn't realize that he was staring at another pond of pokemon and that his powers were released even more. The pond suddenly vanished before Ash's eyes and he felt not pain but-something. It was a tingle that started from his feet that traveled all the way to the top of his head. Ash shivered once it was over and gasped.  
  
"Easy there." Crooned Lugia as Ash stepped a few steps backwards. Lugia moved a wing to help steady the chosen one. Ash caught the wing and moaned. "I think it best if you go back to sleep." Ash saw feathers fly over his face and he instantly surrendered to the calm. Ash was picked up by another psychic pokemon and was placed back on Lugia.  
  
"I never thought I'd see the day you would become a throw pillow." Teased Mew. Lugia laughed and sent his reply back at Mew telepathically.  
  
'I never thought I'd see the day you would be caught by a human.' Lugia teased. Mew snorted and giggled.   
  
'Things really do change don't they?' Asked Mew. To their surprise, it was Ho-oh who joined the conversation.  
  
'They do when you live in the time of legends.' Interrupted Ho-oh. Mew looked up to see Ho-oh come through the barrier and drop into the clearing.  
  
"So?" Asked Ho-oh. Ho-oh shook off some of the water that was on its feathers before replying.  
  
"The friends and mother are worried about him." Pikachu walked up to Lugia. Lugia's attention was adverted to the master's first pokemon. Pikachu climbed up Lugia's side and went to Ash.  
  
"I'm not surprised." Said Pikachu. Pikachu turned his attention back to the legendary pokemon in his presence. "He has a wonderful mother and very close friends. They would have died for Ash if necessary. Deep down he left for their sake and not his. With Ash the top mystery in the world right now, they're probably going to be in trouble with or without him. Can we keep a close watch on them?"  
  
"I don't see why not." Said Lugia. "After all, pokemon all over the world are at his bidding right now. I don't think it will be too hard to get them to look after the family and friends of the chosen one." Ho-oh preened his feathers.   
  
"I suppose it's going to be my job to go out and alert the pokemon?" Asked Ho-oh and Lugia nodded. Ash sighed something in his sleep and Ho-oh quickly lessened the tone of his voice. "I'll be back later. Protect him." The legendary bird flew out into the storm once again with little notice of the rain and thunder.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hello.  
  
Not again.  
  
What's wrong?  
  
Is thing going to be a repeat of the last time?  
  
Last time? What do you mean?  
  
I mean are you going to do what you did last time and taunt me? I don't appreciate being teased.  
  
You are mistaken. This is the first time we have spoken.  
  
I'm not so sure about that.  
  
What happened?  
  
Someone contacted me like this a while ago and threatened my friends. Well, they actually belittled me first but that's beside the point.  
  
Krofost!  
  
Who?  
  
Never mind. Wait! Did you force him out? Is he….here?  
  
What do you mean by here? I yelled at him to leave me alone and he left if that's what you mean.  
  
Then you did! Good boy! I am Talana. I'm pleased to know you young one.  
  
Why are you people bugging me? I want a good nights sleep for a change.  
  
Sorry. I'm just curious.  
  
About what?  
  
I want to know what your like chosen one.  
  
Whoah! Wait a minute! How do you know me?  
  
I wouldn't be speaking to you if I didn't know who you were.  
  
Great! Why am I so popular all of a sudden.  
  
Pardon?  
  
Never mind. Why so curious about me anyway.  
  
I want to know your personality before we meet.  
  
We meet? Are you on your way to meet me?  
  
No. You're on your way to meet me.  
  
What?  
  
We will meet soon young one. Be brave. You have a long journey ahead of you.  
  
Not another one.  
  
Farewell. Turquoise eyes. We will meet soon. Ask for me at Grass castle.  
  
Castle?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ash woke again in white. Ash snuggled deeper into Lugia's soft feathers when he heard a flapping. Ash turned his head to the side and saw Ho-oh land before Lugia.  
  
"We've got trouble."  
  
"What's wrong?" Asked Mew. Ash looked up to see Mew hovering over Lugia's head. A splotch of yellow was seen on top of Lugia's head too; Pikachu.  
  
"It seems that team rocket had grown impatient for our chosen one. They've taken over the place called Pallet Town and demand his return." That got Ash's attention. Before Ash had time to react, an outburst from the pokemon around Ash filled the entire valley.   
  
"Blasphemers!"  
  
"Slime!"  
  
"Monsters!"  
  
'How dare they!' Bellowed one voice above the rest. Ash shook off the feeling that he had heard that voice before and looked for the voice. Above the rest was a pokemon Ash had never seen before or so he thought. 'First they kidnap him and then try to kill him! Humans! How dare they demand something like him from pokemon around the world! They created me and now they want the one person who can bring pokemon and people closer together! I won't stand for this greed!' outraged Mewtwo.  
  
"They must be stopped!" Rang out a small voice from the crowd. Lugia bellowed for silence.  
  
"We cannot awaken the chosen one before his time! Be silent all of you!" Ash laid on Lugia and rolled over suddenly. Lugia felt Ash's movement and turned his head towards Ash.  
  
"Too late." Ash mumbled. The entire congregation went silent with awe. Ash was angry and in turn made the pokemon around him angry.  
  
'I've got to try and control my emotions.' Thought Ash as he stood up. 'No! That's not right. My feelings are the key. I've got to trust my feelings.'  
  
"How long have they had control over Pallet Town?" Ash asked Ho-oh. Ho-oh looked at the young boy as if frightened; the silent fury that Ash felt was seething out to the other pokemon. Instead of making the pokemon go berserk like minutes before, it calmed them.  
  
"They were still fighting when I left." Ash nodded and sighed.  
  
"Take me there." Lugia started to protest and then saw the look in Ash's eyes. Ash was truly angry and anger like this could trigger the portal to open. Lugia wanted more time with Ash before that happened.   
  
"As you wish young master." Lugia motioned to Ho-oh to take off first and let a few other pokemon onto his back. They were going to need all the pokemon they could get to help.  
  
"Lets go." Ash ordered and Lugia let out a cry of battle before launching himself out of Rain Valley.  
  
Pallet Town  
  
Gary was exhausted. His pokemon were in much worse shape then he was though. It had been three months since Ash had disappeared and team rocket had just set their plans into motion. Gary held his breath as a team rocket grunt passed his hiding place.  
  
"Do you think this plan will work?" Asked a furry voice.  
  
"It had better or we're in trouble." Answered a sweeter voice. Gary looked out of the rubble he was hiding in and saw someone familiar.   
  
"Misty? Brock?" The two tensed at the voice that knew their names. They both turned startling fast with pokeballs in hand and prepared for the worst. Gary left his hiding spot. "I thought I would never see you guys again!" Gary exclaimed as he brushed off some debris. Misty and Brock relaxed.  
  
"It's just you. I thought we were in trouble." Brock said in relief. Brock looked around to see the remains of a pokemon feeding corral that Gary had been hiding in. "What happened.  
  
"Rockets got me off guard. Do we know what they want? They didn't take any of gramps pokemon and they were coming after me." Gary added in a hurry. Misty lowered her head.  
  
"They want Ash." Misty said in a sober tone. Gary snorted and crossed his arms.  
  
"So does everyone else in the world. If I can't find him, none can. What makes them think Ash can come back anyway? He's probably off on some wild and crazy adventure with those rare pokemon he was saved by." Brock and Misty hated to agree with Gary but for some reason, they thought Gary was right. Ash would never come back on just a threat from team rocket; he was too important now.  
  
"Question is what do we do now?" asked Brock. "We can't take team rocket head on with our pokemon in their conditions. We need help."  
  
"I say we find the pokemon from Pro Oaks lab and convince them to help us." Suggested Misty. Gary shook his head at the idea.  
  
"No good. That's where their main base is. They struck there first to take it over." Gary said with a little venom showing. "With Ash missing, they won't stop just with Pallet."   
  
"And Ash won't come back unless something was taken from him or they have something important to him….." Misty trailed off. "OHMYGOD! They have Ms Ketchum! That means Ash will show up!" Misty exclaimed in surprise.  
  
"How do you know that they have Ash's mom?" Asked Gary in surprise. Misty balled her hands into fists.  
  
"I saw them take her. And I was helpless to save her." Tears of anger and bitterness rolled down Misty's cheeks. Brock suddenly punched the closest debris that resembled a wall. Misty and Gary jumped in surprise.  
  
"Damn it! Why aren't you here Ash!? We need you!" Growled Brock. The noise brought more rockets to the area and the reunited trio soon found it necessary to run for their lives. Brock was in the rear with Geodude protecting and deflecting attacks.  
  
"Next time Brock, just hold it in." Growled Misty. Unaware that their scene was being watched from above, Misty, Brock and Gary were finally cornered. A ring of rocket grunts in black encircled the trio.   
  
"This doesn't look good." Whispered Gary. "How many pokemon do you have that can fight?"   
  
"Just Geodude." Brock replied.  
  
"I have a Staru but, that's about it." Misty whispered back. Misty knew that Psyduck and Togepi were going to be useless in this battle. For about three minutes nothing happened.  
  
"What are they waiting for?" Gary whispered to Brock.  
  
'What indeed?' Brock thought as he studied the rockets around him. They were calm and cool as a cucumber. 'Not good.' They were all prepared to win and they all had confidence that Brock had only seen in Ash before. Then a van pulled up through the debris of Pallet that was followed by a limo.  
  
"You're in for it now." Sneered a rocket grunt. The van stopped and backed up to the outer edge of the rocket circle. The limo simply stopped in front of the van. The van's back doors were swung open to reveal three rockets in red with two prisoners.  
  
"Gramps!" Yelled Gary in alarm.  
  
"Mrs. Ketchum!" Echoed Misty and Brock. The tied up duo were thrown into the circle. Misty, Brock and Gary ran to their friends and untied them. As soon as the gag was removed from Mrs. Ketchum's face, she spoke strong words.  
  
"You will never get my son you-you monsters!" She spat at the rockets. Misty and Brock began to untie her bonds when a smooth voice shattered the silence.  
  
"Now, now my dear. There's no need for such venom with team rocket. Especially since your son is about to become a permanent member." Laughed a voice. The entire group shuddered at the tone of voice that was being spoken; icy needles pricked the back of everyone's neck. A man emerged out of the limo that looked familiar to Gary. He had a Persian at his side and he was in a brown suit that Gary had seen before.  
  
"Its you! The Viridian Gym leader! You're behind this!" Accused Gary. The man in the suit laughed an evil laugh.  
  
"Oh yes. I am behind this. I am after all, the leader of team rocket." Misty and Brock seethed with anger. This was the monster that kidnapped their friend and made him a hunted boy.  
  
"Ash will never join forces with you!" Spat Misty. Giovonni looked at the girl that defied him and was met with an aqua cold gaze. Giovonni had never in his entire business life come across any person who had this much defiance for him in the face of his power. He was impressed.  
  
"Oh yes he will. I have everyone in the world he holds dear to him in the palm of my hand. He will join team rocket if he wants some certain people to remain healthy. Misty realized the truth to his words an almost threw up in disgust.  
  
'He's going to blackmail Ash. He's going to use us to blackmail Ash!' Her mind screamed. Misty and Brock froze in their tracks when Giovonni laughed a cruel laugh.   
  
"Oh Ash! I have your friends here! Come and save them if you can!" Mocked Giovonni in a cruel tone. The effect on his prisoners was his intended effect. The group went silent in fear and regret; regret that they were going to be used against Ash and that they had no choice in the matter. Then something happened that was unexpected.  
  
"DON'T MIND IF I DO!" yelled an all too familiar voice to the group. Giovonni was suddenly knocked over by an Arcanine that was attacking the Persian. A commotion started when the rockets realized that they were surrounded by pokemon. Overhead was a legendary bird, two of them actually. Ho-oh was landing to save the group. Ash was on Lugia and he was joined by Mew and Pikachu.  
  
"Hold your ground! Bring out your pokemon fools!" Roared Giovonni. Ash watched as the rocket grunts pulled out their own pokeballs and released the pokemon inside.   
  
'Not a very smart thing to do.' Ash thought as he surveyed the scene. It was their pokemon against the pokemon of the wild that Ash asked for help. 'I'm the supposed Ultimate Trainer! They wouldn't use pokemon against me if they didn't know…' Ash's thought trailed off. 'They don't know! They have not a clue of who I am now! This is going to make things easier.'  
  
"I order all of the team rockets pokemon to stop attacking the other pokemon and turn on the rockets." Ash yelled so all the pokemon could hear them. "I am Ash Ketchum! Do as I say!" Giovonni laughed and looked up to the boy on the legendary bird Lugia. It was inconceivable that their pokemon would follow his orders and it was preposterous for trying.  
  
"S-s-sir?" Squeaked a scared voice. Giovonni's attention was directed back to the battle at hand and saw the impossible. The pokemon the rockets had released were doing what the runt had ordered. Giovonni's own Persian was growling and holding him at bay. Ho-oh took off with five people in tow. Ash wasn't done yet. Ash was prepared to stop this and stop it now!  
  
"You! The leader of team rocket!" Giovonni looked up to the voice that addressed him. "What say we settle this here and now!" Giovonni had a look of surprise on his face that quickly turned to a smile.  
  
"What did you have in mind?" Giovonni called up to Ash. Ash responded with as much authority as his voice could muster.  
  
"You leave my family and friends alone and I leave you alone." Ash called back. Giovonni's smile faded. He was hoping for a silly pokemon battle that all trainers did; the all or nothing type. Of course Giovonni would have cheated because the stakes were great but that didn't matter.  
  
"All I want is you Ketchum! I'll let your loved ones go if you swear allegiance to me." Giovonni yelled back at Ash. Ash was shocked by his reply. Ash was holding all the cards and yet this man was demanding his surrender. Ash wasn't impressed to say the least.  
  
"Never! I would never swear allegiance to the likes of team rocket! If you hadn't noticed, you lost your bargaining chips and I don't have to stay here and listen to this. All pokemon! Go back into the wild and never allow yourselves to be caught by team rocket again!" Ash ordered. As soon as the words left his lips, the pokemon ran into the forest and debris of Pallet. Most of them were never seen again and Ash simply flew away from Pallet.  
  
'Masterful job!' Praised Mew. 'They were totally caught off guard.' Ash held tight to Lugia as they caught up with Ho-oh. They met in mid air and Ash's mother immediately got him in a bear hug.  
  
"My baby!" Ash was thoroughly embarrassed as he was given hugs and kisses by his mother. Ash was being hugged so tight that he could barely breath.  
  
"Mom!" Gasped Ash finally. His mother didn't let him go however and only loosened her grip. Ash was then bombarded with questions.  
  
"Where have you been?" Demanded Brock.  
  
"Where are we going?" Asked Misty.  
  
"Ash?" Everyone went silent as Pro Oak spoke up. "What's going on?" Oak put a hand on Delilah's shoulder so he could get an answer.  
  
"You guys won't believe it! It's a long story but I'm alright. Are you guys OK? I'm sorry I should've been home sooner." Ash was silenced by another hug by his mother.  
  
"It's alright honey. I understand. What have you been doing for the past three months?" Ash fell over at his mother's question.  
  
"Whaaaa! I've been gone for three whole months?" Ash said in surprise. Pikachu tugged on Ash's pant leg. Ash looked down and saw Pikachu nodding his head, which in turn made Ash groan. "How did this happen? Mew?" The group turned to see a pink pokemon with a long tail and beady blue eyes.  
  
"It was when you released more of your power Ash." Misty, Brock, both Oak's and Delilah jumped at Mew's words.   
  
"Since when can you talk?" Asked Gary in awe. Ash turned to see Gary still on Ho-oh. Ash had totally forgotten about him.  
  
"Since before you were born." Snapped Mew.  
  
"Mew!" Scolded Ash. Mew simply turned away from Gary and meekly put her paws on her mouth. "Sorry about that. I think that was my fault."  
  
"Why? It was Mew that said it." Asked Misty. Ash sighed and looked out to the sunset. Everyone noticed the sudden mood change in Ash and remained silent.   
  
"I'll tell you later. Right now I just want to relax." The others decided no to press the matter so they sat down and enjoyed the ride.  
  
"Ash?" Asked Mew. Ash was on the utmost part of Lugia that would hold him. Ash had Pikachu in his arms and a glazed look in his eye.   
  
"What is it Mew?" Ash asked. Mew flew up behind Ash's head, perched on his shoulders and put his tail around his neck.   
  
"Once this is all over, will you still want me as a pokemon?" Ash turned his head to Mew.  
  
"What do you mean 'once this is all over'? I thought that this was a permanent job." Ash was interrupted by a loud yell from his mother.  
  
"Ash! What's going on?" Ash turned to see them heading right into the middle of a storm. When Ash realized that they were heading back to Rain Valley he sighed in relief.   
  
"We're just heading home. I've been with the pokemon here for all the time I've been away. Why? Something wrong?" Ash asked. Delilah Ketchum pointed to the sky and Ash could barely make out a silhouette on the clouds. It was etched in silver so it was hard to make out. Ash could make out a shape of a flying pokemon, what was strange was that the shadow was almost iridescent. With a thunder flash the shape was gone. Before Ash could ask what it was he just saw, Lugia gave out a cry that was echoed from the pokemon from below. Ash was back!  
  
'Trainer! You're just in time.' Sent the one Ash recognized as Mewtwo.  
  
'I remember now.' Ash thought as he stared into the pokemon's face. The memories of New Island washed over him like a wave. 'So this is where you found your heart.' Ash felt himself be lowered to the ground by Mew.  
  
"I'm just in time for what?" Ash asked aloud. Misty, Brock, Gary, Delilah and the Prof were let down as well. Ash smiled when Pikachu took his normal perch on his head. Ash's full attention was, then commanded by Mewtwo.  
  
'For the adventure of a lifetime and the explanation why.' Mewtwo sent telepathically to the group. Ash was led to a circle of logs that looked like they had been recently been cut just for this purpose. Ash and co sat down and waited for the story to be told.  
  
'Can I start the story?' Mew asked Mewtwo. Mewtwo nodded and let her take the middle of the circle.  
  
'Of course, you were there so you can explain best.' Ash watched Mewtwo as he took a seat beside Misty. Misty shifted her weight onto the other side of her seat, nervous of the pokemon. Mewtwo didn't seem to mind at all.   
  
'Long before you were born Ash, there was a world not so tranquil and peace loving as it was today. In fact, it was a downright nightmare. People argued with one another for no apparent reason, there was unnecessary violence and brutality was common. Then the people evolved from bad to worse, they began to grow in technology and in population. After a few hundred years, their world was irreversibly changed. They had run out of fuel for the society to run on and wars broke out all over the world. It was havoc.' Ash began to grow pale at this story, it didn't sound too good.  
  
'Who would do such things?' Ash wondered as he resumed listening to the story.  
  
'There were people who didn't want to fight and they banded together to make a new way of life. The barbaric ones didn't agree though and before the violent ones could attack, the peaceful ones did something drastic. The peaceful ones split worlds and simply went away into another dimension. Things happened before they split the world though. You see it wasn't just a simple matter of splitting worlds, their world was affected by the wars. Their dimensional world reverted back to its former glory with the trees and water resources but, the animals were forever changed. Wild animals had been introduced to unnatural circumstances over the years and had irreversibly mutated. That's when we pokemon were born.' Ash let out a gasp with the rest of the group.  
  
"Pokemon were-were mutates?' Professor Oak asked in awe. Gary and the others were silent anticipating the answer.  
  
'In a sense yes. Both worlds have pokemon as they evolved in sync with both worlds. I am a Mew from the barbaric split, this is the peaceful split. I am able to travel between worlds and that is why we need the chosen one.' Ash was confused as he was looked upon by all his friends.  
  
"Why me?" Ash asked. It was Mewtwo who replied.  
  
'In splitting the worlds, they also split people. Misty, Brock, Gary even your mother have alternate personalities on this second world. However, Ash you do not. The chosen one must bring pokemon and people together in the barbaric world in order to save both worlds. You must travel to the barbaric world and save it Ash.' Misty and Brock immediately were against it.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me! Ash save an alternate world? A barbaric one at that!" Growled Brock. "It's unheard of!"  
  
"I agree. They'll eat him for dinner!" Misty echoed. Ash fell over on his seat.  
  
"Thanks a lot you guys! I can just feel your confidence in me." Ash said sarcastically.   
  
'He will have help. Pokemon are extremely rare on the second world. Finding one in the wild is almost impossible. Most pokemon are bred and passed down in the hierarchies. If Ash has his pokemon with him, people will respect him a lot; you're considered a king if you even have one pokemon.' Mew said quietly. 'And I will be with him of course.' Ash looked around him to all his friends and family and decided what he had to do.  
  
"Lets get something to eat before I go." Ash's company all sweatdropped at Ash's words.  
  
"How can you think of stuffing yourself at a time like this!" Misty demanded while her head grew three times its normal size. Ash fell over and brushed himself off.  
  
"I'm about to enter a barbaric world, with little chance of knowing what I just got myself into. I may be on the road for weeks before I meet anyone so I think it might be wise to eat something first. Besides I'm starving!" Everyone fell over and Ash got a confused look on his face. "Was it something I said?"  
  
"For once in your life, you sounded intelligent and you had to blow it by opening your mouth." Gary sneered. "You're going to have to work on that if you hope to survive."  
  
On another plane of existence.  
  
"You have a right to worry so much! I can't believe you contacted him through his dreams! The whole bloody council will be down on us for this." Growled a man in tanned leathers and armor. A sword of gold and silver was on his hip that swayed dangerously as he paced back and forth in front of his wife.  
"Talana! Are you even listening to me?!"  
  
"I am listening dear. It's just that I don't care right now. You see, I contacted him." Answered a woman in a royal deep purple dress. She was rocking in a rocking chair weaving a blanket in front of a fireplace.  
  
"That's what I'm angry about! How dare you contact another person from the other side!" Talana held up her hand for silence.  
  
"I mean, I contacted HIM, Love." The man stopped pacing.  
  
"What do you mean him?" The woman looked up at him with her brown eyes shining with a bright hue. The man was shocked when he realized what his wife was talking about. "Not…"  
  
"Yes. He's coming and soon."  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  



	13. Chapter11

Chapter 11   
  
Ash had just finished eating when he felt-something touch his mind. Ash fell over onto his back in surprise.  
  
"Ash? What's wrong?" Misty asked.  
  
"He just tripped again." Brock said dismissively. Mew and Mewtwo knew what had happened.   
  
'Quick! Get Pikachu over here! It's time to enter the other realm.' Mew called. Pikachu came running. 'Ash! Grab your bag! Where's my pokeball?" Ash did as told and put on his bag and dug out his pokeballs. 'You must return me.' Ash nodded and like usual.  
  
"Mew! Return!" In a stream of garnet, Mew was recalled into the pokeball. "Pikachu?" Ash turned and found his pokemon running toward his trainer. Ash stretched out his arms and caught Pikachu as the pokemon jumped. Ash then looked around to the pokemon present. "Now what?" Ash asked.  
  
'Now say goodbye.' Mewtwo replied.   
  
"Wha? Goodby-" Before Ash could finish his sentence, an ashen light crept over his vision. Ash turned around to see no one there either. It was like he and Pikachu had just-disappeared. "Mew! What's going on?" Ash asked in a small voice.   
  
'We are entering the second world. Hope you have seatbelts because, from what I remember, this is heck of a ride.' Ash groaned and looked out into the white that seemed endless.  
  
"How long do we stay like this?"  
  
'Not long I'm afraid.'  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked.   
  
"Look Ash!" Ash was interrupted by Pikachu and he looked out into the white. Pikachu had seen it before Ash; a brighter light was heading his way. Ash stared in horror as the light began to pick up speed and it seemed to be directed in their direction.  
  
'That is what I mean.' Mew sent telepathically as the yellowish light engulfed them.  
  
Krofost fortress.  
  
A figure emerged from the doorway. It was unlike the figure that had gone in. The old figure of a twisted decrepit old man was gone, the figure that emerged from the chamber was in total contrast. It was a young boy with red spiky hair that resembled Gary Oak.  
  
"I never thought that I would do this for anyone. Let alone a person who's supposed to be my greatest rival." Krofost picked up a bag in the armory and another in the kitchen.   
  
'He should arrive any day now. I think it wise to look over in the forbidden regions first, most likely he'll show up there. Krofost picked up another bag from his keep and set out on the road.  
  
"Look out council! I go to find myself and my destiny once more!" Shouted the sorcerer to no one. Krofost chuckled when no answer came and continued walking.   
  
'Just you wait council, I'll see your downfall yet.'  
  
Second World.  
  
"Ooooo! That hurt!" Ash moaned as he opened his eyes. Mew popped out of his pokeball and snickered.  
  
"Bet you wish you'd gone into a pokeball too." Ash blinked and then realized that Pikachu was in the same boat he was.  
  
"Next time, warn me." Moaned Pikachu. "I hate to think about the trip home." Pikachu moaned as Ash got up. Ash noticed that his cloths had changed. Not a big deal, he had expected something to that degree. He wore a white shirt, black pants, a simpler green backpack and white boots. His belt was a contrast because it was a gold colour and his cloak was a gold colour as well  
  
"Where are we Mew?" Mew flew up a little ways and took a quick look around. Mew floated back down to Ash and giggled.  
  
"We're in luck! I think that the nearest kingdom is two days walk from here." Ash and Pikachu fell over.  
  
"That's in luck! Geez! I wonder what bad luck would've been." Ash said in a whiney tone. Mew giggled and flew in Ash's personal space.  
  
'You have Rapidash don't you? It won't even take half a day to ride there.' Ash laughed. Mew had thought of everything before they left. Ash looked down at his pokeballs and realized something.   
  
"I don't recall being able to hold eight pokeballs at one time! What's going on here!" Ash demanded at Mew. Mew looked a little sheepish and sighed.  
  
'Lugia and Ho-oh wanted some extra protection for you so, they convinced Charizard and another pokemon to come along with us. I think it was a Dragonite or a Dragonair, anyway you're allowed to use them in emergencies only.' Ash smiled. Charizard was back and he would finally get to meet a Dragonite! This might not be so bad a trip after all.   
  
"So where to first?" Ash asked Mew. "You know this place best so I think you should be our guide for now." Mew landed on Ash's hat and pointed to the right.   
  
"Let's go to the water kingdom Cerulean. There we can ask for safe passage across the sea so we can go to the kingdom tournaments!" Ash smiled at his pokemon's enthusiasm.  
  
"Is that anything like a pokemon battle?" Pikachu asked. Mew nodded. "Alright! This place won't be so bad after all!" Ash pulled out Rapidash's pokeball and began a journey he was sure he would never forget.   
  
Meanwhile  
  
'There is no way I'm going to get out of this alive!' Thought a red haired girl as she was running. A band of men cloaked in darkness ran after their prize. 'They can run longer than I can, my only hope is to run my fastest and try to lose them. I can't allow them to get my cargo.'   
  
"There's no use to run Princess." Yelled one of the men behind her. The girl pressed on, hoping against all odds that she would get away somehow. On throughout the forest they ran, pursuing the girl and her cargo of an unhatched poke egg.   
  
'I can't go on like this, they'll get me sooner than later.' The girl was tired and badly hurt; scrapes and bruises marked her legs and arms. 'I swear I won't go back to being a prisoner, I won't!' The memories of her captivity for the last two days haunted her like a bad nightmare you remembered when you woke up. It was during her coronation that she and her egg had been kidnapped.   
  
"You won't get away!" Shouted another voice behind her. Mysterious shuddered inwardly and ran harder. Ash had recalled Mew when she said she needed to take a nap so Mew showed Rapidash the way mentally. Ash was enjoying the ride when someone suddenly came out of the bushes to his right.  
  
"Whoah! What the?" Ash said as soon as he realized he had company. It was a familiar face with fair red hair and blue eyes that almost matched his own now.   
  
'I don't believe it! It's Misty's alternate self!' The Princess stood in mute shock as she stood before him; a prince, with two pokemon.   
  
'I don't believe it! What would he be doing out here? A prince like this must be on his way to the tournaments but I've never heard of a prince having two pokemon before.' Before she could think about anything else, her pursuers caught up to her.  
  
"Now surrender! You will come back with us! WHAT THE BLAZES?!!!" The man was in total shock as soon as he realized that the princess was not alone. It was a prince and a very powerful one at that.  
  
"Who the devil are you?" Asked one of the four men that charged out of the bush after Misty's alternate. Even if she wasn't Misty, Ash felt he had to help her.  
  
"These guys bothering you?" Ash asked the girl before him. The girl could only shake her head in a yes under the gaze of her blue-eyed savior. "Pikachu! Thunderbolt now!" The prince ordered. Mysterious could only marvel as the pokemon did as he was told.   
  
"Pikachuuuu!" Electricity sparked from the pokemon that singed and knocked the four captors unconscious. Mysterious found herself alone with this prince now and felt something she had never felt before.   
  
"Are you lost or something?" Ash asked the girl in front of him. Mysterious came out of her mute stance and nodded. For some reason, she was having a difficult time speaking. Ash wasn't sure what to do so he decided on a course of action. " Here, you can come with me. I'm headed to Cerulean. Is that where you're from?" Ash asked.  
  
"Yes." Was all she could say. Ash got down off of Rapidash and she tensed.  
  
'It's like something out of a fairy tale.' Thought Mysterious as she watched the prince before her. 'He comes in on a white horse and rescues the damsel in distress. Oh, don't look at me with those eyes of yours! They're so-enchanting.' Ash moved toward her and she felt her heart skip a beat.  
  
"Would you like to ride Rapidash for a while? You look like you're exhausted." Mysterious blinked. She was a princess that had been kidnapped for two days of course she was tired.  
  
'DEAR LORD! I must look a mess to him! I'm dirty, bruised and slipshod. Why is he being so polite to me? Could it be that he likes me? Oh! Why am I thinking this way! Snap out of it girl!' Mysterious scolded herself mentally before she realized he was offering her a ride.  
  
"I would love to." Before she could say another word, Ash helped hoist her onto Rapidash's back by picking her up by the waist.  
  
'That's odd. I shouldn't be that strong.' Ash thought to himself as he picked Mysterious up. 'Must be a side effect of sorts.' Ash motioned to Pikachu and the pokemon jumped from the road onto Ash's shoulders. It was going to be a long walk. Mysterious stared at the boy as he took the reigns and began to walk the horse.  
  
'What a strong prince. He picked me up as if I weighed nothing at all. I wonder what he's doing here.' She watched him lead the pokemon she now knew as a Rapidash and sighed inwardly. 'He's as calm as a lake on moon festivals eve. Cute too.' Mysterious then realized what she was doing and shook her head. 'What am I thinking! Snap out of it girl! You are sworn to never marry a man if he was a prince. Find true love, remember? But still..'  
  
"Ash?" Pikachu said in a quiet tone. Ash turned his head towards Pikachu.  
  
"Hmm?"   
  
"She's fallen asleep." Ash turned around to see that Pikachu was right and that the girl he had saved earlier was fast asleep on Rapidash. "You should stop for the night." Pikachu said. Rapidash snorted.  
  
"There is plenty of time to ride left in this day. I'm not the least bit tired! You should ride with her on me Master. She'll slip off any other way." Ash thought about it for a minute and agreed. Ash slipped himself behind his Misty look alike and cradled her in-between his reigns and arms. Ash had his arms around her and she was sitting sidesaddle.  
  
"If we get too heavy, tell me and we'll stop." Ash ordered. Pikachu jumped into Ash's backpack and fell asleep too.   
  
"I will." Ash looked to the road ahead of him and sighed. This was going to be a long trip. Ash stared out at the sunset until it got dark and still they traveled on. Ash felt the girl shiver and blushed as she snuggled closer to him.  
  
"I think it's time we stopped for the night." Ash said as calmly as he could. Rapidash felt the shift in weight and realized his discomfort. Rapidash was a little tired too so he trotted over to the side of the road and stopped. "Mew? You awake." Ash asked. Mew popped out of the pokeball and smiled.  
  
"Yep. Have been for a while too. Need some help?" Ash nodded and Mew used her power to lift her up so Ash could slide out from under her. Ash set up his new sleeping bag and realized that there was only one. Before Ash could order Mew to put her in the sleeping bag, something happened.   
  
"What?" Ash gasped as the bag suddenly glowed and became two sleeping bags. Ash looked over his shoulder at Mew and she died down her psychic glow a bit. Ash put her to bed and snuggled in with Pikachu. Mew and Rapidash went into their pokeballs and all was silent. Morning came around and found Ash traveling the exact same way as the day before.  
  
'I should stay in here. Another thing these people don't know about is pokeballs. All their pokemon are outside all the time.'  
  
"No kidding." Ash asked aloud. Ash had found the poke egg that his Misty look alike friend this morning and was shocked. Ash made Pikachu keep it warm for her in his pack while they were traveling so Pikachu was listening to the conversation.  
  
'Another thing you should watch for is the way you talk to me. If you suddenly start talking to me aloud like this, people will think you mad. Talk telepathically.'  
  
'But it gives me a headache.' Ash sent back. Mew dismissed the idea and continued.   
  
'Also, if anyone asks what kingdom we're from, say "a kingdom no more.". Got it?' Ash was puzzled for a minute.  
  
'What do you mean "A kingdom no more?" Does it mean I don't have a kingdom or something like that.' Ash asked. Mew hesitated in response.  
  
'It means that you're a wandering prince without a kingdom. Nobility will assume without you saying anything more that your kingdom was either destroyed or that you are on a quest for a tournament. Princes that fight in tournaments usually are denounced by the kingdoms that born them so they can fight with no ties to a kingdom.'   
  
'Makes sense in a twisted sort of way.' Ash thought to himself. Just then, his Misty look alike snuggled closer to him on Rapidash again. Ash was very uncomfortable with his arms around a girl that resembled Misty. He was expecting her to wake up any moment and give him a sever thrashing because he was holding her.   
  
'How much longer to Cerulean?' Ash asked Mew a bit panicked. Mew giggled in her pokeball and replied.  
  
'Not soon enough for you I'm afraid.' Mew could almost feel his discomfort and nervousness as his new friend snuggled closer. Mysterious awoke to an uncomfortable bump on the walk. She was aware that someone else was with her and then she remembered the last day's events and blushed a bit.   
  
'I'm with that prince. Where are we?' Mysterious didn't move any other part of her body but opened an eye a bit. She saw trees that she recognized as the outer trees of the aqua forest. 'I'm almost home.' Mysterious blushed a bit when she realized the way they were traveling; he was holding her between the reigns so she wouldn't slip or fall off. Mysterious blushed even more when she realized that she liked it. Then she heard a voice that she dreaded hearing a second time.  
  
"Stop, you there!" It was General James, the one who she was sure had tried to kidnap her. Ash looked behind him and saw James look alike with about ten people charging toward him on foot. "Hand over that girl!" Ash didn't need to hear another word.   
  
"I think its time you woke up anyway. Rapidash! Agility!" Mysterious was clutching to the prince for dear life as the Rapidash bolted into a dead run. "Sorry to wake you like this but I think you had better explain to me why I have eleven people chasing me." Ash asked.  
  
"It's because they want my-" Mysterious froze. She felt for her poke egg in her front carrying case. "Stop! My poke egg is gone!" Ash sighed.  
  
"No it isn't. Pikachu is keeping it warm for you in my bag. Who are these people that are after you?" Ash asked. Mysterious looked up into his eyes and found herself entranced again.   
  
'He's putting his life in danger for a perfect stranger.' Mysterious felt herself slip a bit more in the saddle and almost fell off. Ash let go of the reigns for a moment to grab her. Mysterious blushed as he held her closer so she wouldn't fall off again.  
  
"Well? Who are these people?" Ash asked again. Mysterious shook herself out of her daze and answered.  
  
"That was General James. He was the one that I think that had me kidnapped. He thinks that if I go missing, he can take control of our kingdom." Ash stopped for a minute. Our kingdom? Ash then mentally scolded himself.  
  
'She's a princess dope! Only people with pokemon are kings and queens remember? How could I be so naive?!' Ash then saw it for the first time.  
  
"Is that your castle?" Ash asked. It loomed ahead like a mountain! It was a giant castle that looked like something out of a fairy tale and it was coming up on them fast. Ash guessed that it must've been three hundred years old just by looking at it.  
  
"Yes! The bridge is to your right. Hurry! I think they just strung their bows." Ash turned his head to see from the corner of his eye about three people standing still over a rise and others in the distance. Ash knew that arrows and probably more arrows were about to be launched at them. Ash ducked as one whizzed by his head.  
  
"I could use some help here." Ash muttered under his breath. Ash charged over the open drawbridge and into the courtyard.  
  
'Uh oh.' Ash thought as Rapidash was forced to jump over some tables. That wouldn't have been a problem but there were people still on the tables. 'Some sort of celebration. Looks like we came at the wrong moment.' Ash thought as they knocked over a stall.   
  
"Slow down!" squeaked a voice. Ash turned around to see that the men had followed them into the city.   
  
"Speed up Rapidash! They're still after us!" Rapidash ran faster. "Tell us where to go!" Ash ordered his new friend. Mysterious gulped down her fear and cleared her throat.  
  
"Take a right here!" Rapidash stormed around a corner. "Left!" Rapidash did a left as an arrow hit the wall where Ash's head was going to be. "Keep going straight until you come to a gate!" Rapidash did as told and they continued until they saw the gate.  
  
'I wonder why they followed us into the city. If they're truly responsible for kidnapping a princess, why would the people let them enter like that.' Ash saw the gate up ahead and grinned.   
  
"Now what?" Ash asked.  
  
"Hope your Rapidash knows how to jump." Ash realized she meant for them to jump the gate. It wasn't that high for a gate but Rapidash was carrying two people.   
  
'Could use some help here Mew.' Ash sent to his psychic pokemon.   
  
'What would you do without me.' Mew sent back. Ash readied himself and gave the order.  
  
"Jump Rapidash!" Ash felt his heart leap into his throat as the jump scaled the gate. Ash opened his eyes a few seconds later and found that they were in some kind of garden. Ash then let go of his death grip on the reigns and on the girl. Ash looked to see if the people had followed them and sure enough, they did. Ash was soon cornered in the garden with about ten people armed with long bows pointing at him.  
  
'Now what?' Ash thought to himself. Mysterious smiled and looked at the fools that had followed into her mother's garden.  
  
"What do we do now?" Asked Ash. Mysterious looked at the prince and wasn't surprised at what she saw. A look of pure determination and defiance crossed his face.  
  
"Now you leave this to me. Oh Slowking!" She called in a sweet voice. Ash saw the men suddenly gasp in fear as a Slowking emerged from underbrush. "Would you mind getting my mother for me? Please?" The Slowking obeyed and turned off into the underbrush. The men grinned when the pokemon disappeared.  
  
"Not smart princess. You won't be breathing by the time that pokemon gets your mother back here." Said one of the ten men. Ash didn't want to become a pincushion so he decided to take action before they did.  
  
'Mew! Keep those arrows away from us!' Ash ordered as he held out his arm. The men stopped for a minute to make sense of what Ash was doing.  
  
"Rapidash! Flamethrower! Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered. Pikachu sprang from Ash's backpack onto his outstretched arm and obeyed.  
  
"Pikachuuuuuu!" A bundle of electricity leapt from pokemon to people and after a sea of fire blew most of them off their feet. Mysterious still had trouble believing that she was with a prince that had two pokemon. Mysterious looked to the men, all unconscious and badly hurt. The prince's pokemon known as a Pikachu was in the middle of the grass calculating his victims.  
  
"Nice one Pikachu." Mysterious looked back to the prince that held her and was stunned. He was praising his Pikachu's work? His pokemon should be honoured to serve him and here he is complimenting his pokemon like-like-  
  
'Like it was a human. Who is this prince?' Ash had let out a sigh of relief as he saw that no one was moving. That had been a little too close for comfort. Ash saw more people coming and called Pikachu back to him. They were dressed in blue garb and armor; Ash didn't like what he was seeing. In the lead was the Slowking that the princess had ordered to get her mother; Ash didn't see any mother with them.  
  
'I don't like this.' Ash thought as soon as they had him surrounded. Ash had one hand on the reigns and another on the pokeballs that he hoped held either Dragonite or Charizard. 'I had better be prepared for the worst. My little Misty look alike might have a mother who is distrusting of me; she might think I tried to kidnap her girl.' Just then a woman appeared from out of the archway that the blue soldiers had come from. Ash was in for a great big shock, Misty's alternate mom looked like Jessie!  
  
"Mom!" Ash let go of the princess and she leapt off of Rapidash. The soldiers ignored her as she ran by them and leapt into the queen's arms. To Ash's surprise, it was a southern accent that replied to the princess.  
  
"Mah baby! Mah sweet little baby! Yah home at last! Were have ya'll been? Ah've been worried sick." Ash then remembered someone that looked a lot like Jessie but wasn't her.  
  
'Jessiebelle. So in this reality, Misty's mom is James fiancée. That's almost funny as it is weird.' Ash let a big grin slowly creep onto his face. 'Now that wouldn't be something you see everyday back home; Misty being emotionally nice.'  
  
"Oh mother! I had the most terrible time! Four men in black kidnapped me and they took me into the woods! I managed to escape with my egg but they came after me. If it wasn't for this mans help, I would have been caught again." Ash felt the hairs on the back of his neck prick up under the queen's gaze.  
  
"Sugar dumpl'n! Where's y'all pretty egg now? Ah swear if it hatches before time…" Ash let out a nervous laugh when the queen left the threat hanging.   
  
"I have it. Pikachu was keeping it warm while we were traveling here." The queen gave Ash the once over. "Um-Pikachu? I think it's time to give her highness back her egg now." Ash pulled off his backpack and Pikachu came out first. Ash heard a gasp from the queen and looked up.  
  
"Why I declare! Two? My, my, dear girl. Y'all had an exceptional escort." Ash carefully extracted the egg from his back and got off of Rapidash. A soldier came up from the group to take the reigns when Ash was down.  
  
'Let him take Rapidash, it's a custom.' Mew said quickly from her pokeball. 'They'll take good care of him I promise.' Ash let the guard take the reigns.  
  
"See you later. I'll check in on you." Ash said soothingly to Rapidash. Rapidash's reply left something to be desired.  
  
"You had better or I'll be coming back for you." Ash smiled and turned his attention back to the royals. Ash walked up to the pair and handed the princess back her pokemon egg. Ash could have sworn she blushed when their hands made contact but ignored it.  
  
'Naah! Misty would never blush for just coming into contact with me. Wait! This isn't Misty. I've got to try and forget my world for a while and concentrate on this one.' The blush was unnoticed by all there but one; a queen learns to notice things overtime. Queen Jessica Neron the third was always on the lookout for suitors and this one had just passed the qualifications.  
  
'My daughter likes him. This is good! We could use him and his pokemon as a way to tip the military back to our side. I must explore this option further.' Ash felt a tug on his pant leg and held out his arm. Pikachu bounded up Ash's arms and took his normal perch on his shoulders. The queen giggled about something that Ash didn't pick up on and took her daughter by the waist.  
  
"Ah find this amusing. Come, we must celebrate this. Ah'll have a manservant show ya'll to ah room. Ya'll must join us for the festival tonight prince." Ash blinked twice and then realized she was talking to him. They had already taken a corner around the hall when Ash answered.  
  
"Sure. See you." Ash said quietly. Ash was then left to his own devices and the mercy of the soldiers there.  
  
"So you saved the princess Mysterious did ya?" Laughed a burly soldier lifting up an unconscious man.  
  
"What a lucky break for you sire. It's rumoured that she-" Ash's attention was now on the soldier that was being walloped on the head by another soldier in blue.  
  
"Don't jinx it you noodle brain!" Growled the soldier that hit his comrade. The soldier rubbed his head where it was hit and went back to picking up unconscious men.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked. All the soldiers stopped when Ash asked the question. The burly soldier was the one that answered.  
  
"Um-er. What he means by that is our princess isn't normally….friendly with princes. She seems to like you." Ash didn't understand what he meant by that so he ignored it.  
  
"Like is an understatement. You must've really impressed her." Ash then realized what they meant and adverted the topic. Mysterious or Misty's alternate would never think of Ash like that. Or would she?  
  
"What are you doing with those men?" Ash asked. Three of the soldiers stopped what they were doing and laughed. Ash didn't see what was so funny.  
  
"We're taking them to the rehabilitation center. They're to be treated and returned to active duty." Growled an older soldier.  
  
"Wish that there wasn't so many being rehabilitated lately. This is getting monotonous." Puffed a smaller soldier. Ash felt sorry for him, the soldier was having trouble because of his size.   
  
"I'd rather be rehabilitated then put in prison." said the soldier Ash recognized as the one that was hit over the head.  
  
"There's that as well, I would hate to go into that dungeon. Rats, real criminals and stale bread from what I heard." Added another new voice.   
  
"Here comes the Commander! Back to work!" Growled the older soldier. Ash and Pikachu turned to see another familiar face on this world. The so-called commander was none other than Tracey or rather, Tracey's alternate personality.   
  
'Whoah! Tracey sure looks intimidating in armor. I wonder if he still like to draw in this reality.' Ash wondered as he watched him come closer.  
  
"Move it worms! The queen wants these men at the center by dusk! No goofing off or it'll be a half rationed week for all of you!" Ash gulped down a sweatdrop at his voice.  
  
'Guess not. He sounds like an army drill sergeant! Geez! What do they have him on? Caffeine?' Ash had never seen so many people move so fast in his entire life before. The yard was clear in about a minute.  
  
"You must be the sire that saved our Mysterious. Come, I have orders to show you a room." Ash was surprised at the sudden change in his voice.  
  
"Ash, this is getting weird on us." Pikachu said in his ear. Ash nodded and then began to follow.  
  
"I didn't really do that much." Ash said as they walked along the castle.  
  
"What?" Asked Tracey. The prince before him was actually making conversation with him! This was a new one for the boys down at the pub.  
  
"I didn't really do that much to save Mysterious. I drove off her attackers and brought her home." Tracey liked this guy already; he wasn't one to gloat on and on like some other princes.   
  
"You're a bloody bloom'n hero if you got our princess to be silent for a moment. She was awake for most of the journey right?" The prince gave him a sideways look.  
  
"Not really, she was so exhausted that she slept most of the way. Why? Is she that bad on a trip?" Tracey laughed loudly and gave the prince a wallop on the back.  
  
"Bad? She complains about everything! If you make one wrong turn watch out! She'll bite your head off and then make you turn around." The prince smiled for some odd reason and returned the wallop on the back.  
  
"Guess I was lucky then." Tracey Skalump was shaking off the surprise that a royal was talking to him! Him! A lowly commander! Not only that, he was laughing with him and playfully shoving him around like an equal!  
  
"Guess you were."  
  
'Who is this prince?' Tracey thought as he laughed at a mild attempt at a dig about women bossing men around. 'He talks and moves like someone of great importance but he seems to be on our level. Could he be an imposter? No, he has the pokemon to prove he's a prince. Could it be we have a challenger? Yes! A challenger on his way to the tournaments! How about that..'  
  
Royal Chambers  
  
"MOTHER!" Mysterious screamed at the queen. She was thoroughly embarrassed about having this conversation with her mother.   
  
"Well? Ah know that y'all don't like discussing this matter." Mysterious stormed over to the other side of the room; her handmaid was having a grand time trying to keep up with her.  
  
"I won't dignify that with a response!" Mysterious growled. Jessica moved from her seat on the chair to her daughter's side.  
  
"Ah just want the truth. I know y'all like him n' all. Ah just want to know if he an you…." Mysterious was shaking in her dress.  
  
"Mother, I was a mess when he found me. I had messy hair, ripped up cloths, dirty and I looked like a beggar! He never even touched me that night." Mysterious sobbed. Jessica was in a little bit of shock. "And when he found the egg that morning, he took it with us! Mother, he practically threw away a chance to have another pokemon. I-I know it sounds crazy but-" Jessica ran up to her daughter and threw her arms around her.  
  
"I know, let it all out child." Mysterious sobbed and shook like a leaf in her mother's arms. "Ah never dreamed that someone would do anything like that. Mah poor baby! It must've been such a shock!"  
  
"What's wrong with me!" Mysterious wailed. "I had every other suitor eating out of my hand and I'm eating out of his! Why didn't he try something? He knew I was a princess! Why didn't he want me?! Why? Why…?" Jessica didn't know how to respond to her daughter's cries.  
  
'Who is this prince that he has my daughter, Mysterious the ice princess, acting like a cast out doll? I will not have it! No one rejects my daughter like this. He will be begging for her affection after this night is through.' 


	14. Chapter11part2

Chapter 11 Part2  
  
Jessica looked her daughter in her puffed up, red eyes.  
  
"Ah think that's enough crying for now. Sugar, we need tah fight this with some of y'all mothers old tricks." Mysterious stopped sobbing for a moment and listened to her mother. "Before this night is done, ah think y'all have a betrothed." Mysterious stopped crying and gave a whoop of delight.  
  
"You think so? He-he'll want me?" Mysterious saw her mother's eyes and the mischeivious gleam.  
  
"Ah know so. Now child, what shall y'all wear tah the festival?" Mysterious smiled and began the preparations to enslave a young man's heart.  
  
Ash's quarters   
  
"You've got to be kidding me! I'll look like a peacock in that thing!" Ash groaned as Tracey held up a blue and white outfit. There were too many ruffles around the neck and in the hip area.  
  
"It's the latest fashion!" Insisted Tracey. Tracey held the outfit up to Ash's neck. "Besides it suits you." Ash sighed.  
  
"It suits you if you're a peacock but, I'm not one. I will decide what to wear. Out!" Ash ordered. Tracey gave a bit of a pout and obeyed.   
  
"Another piece of advice when meeting the princess." Tracey said on his way out the door. "Try not to drool when you see her next. We have enough water out on the beach already."   
  
"Thanks a lot! I'm not going to go gaga like some guys. So little faith." Ash retorted. Tracey snickered outside the door.  
  
'Oh, from what you told me, she will have you drooling. Don't mess this one up princess, he's a keeper. I think we'll do well under him.' Tracey began to hum a tune as soon as he was out of earshot from the room. It was an old melody, Poppy and the pin, a tune about a couple marrying and growing old. 'If we're lucky, he'll be a challenging prince renounced by a kingdom and king of ours within a month!'  
  
"It's alright to come out now Mew." Ash sighed now that he was alone. Ash flopped down on the feather bed and closed his eyes.  
  
"Finally! That pokeball was getting to me! So, which festival is it?" Ash opened one eye to look at Mew.  
  
"How should I know? I just got here." Ash mumbled. "I never thought I would have to wear anything like this ever. This is worse than the time I was asked to pretend that I was a Mr. Mime."  
  
"I'll say." Interrupted Pikachu. "They all look like something Brock would wear to a blind date." Ash laughed at Pikachu's disgust at the wardrobe.   
  
"That's another problem, what am I going to wear that I won't look totally ridiculous in?" Ash held up a red shirt with white ruffles. "Eyyuck! I don't know if this is girls clothes or not there's so many ruffles."  
  
"Ash I think we may have a problem." Mew said in a serious tone. Ash dropped the shirt on the bed.   
  
"Something wrong Mew." Ash asked. Mew was floating about three feet above the bed and then floated over to the mountain of discarded cloths on the bed. Mew didn't respond until she was finished rifling through the cloths.  
  
"By the look of these cloths, yes. Ash, in this world people are more dishonest then normal." Ash was stopped cold.  
  
"People here are untrustworthy? Should've told me that a bit sooner Mew. I don't see how that ties in with the cloths." Ash grumbled. Mew picked out a ruffled black shirt and white pants.  
  
"The cloths are just the first indication Ash. Your actions yesterday probably got you into trouble tonight." Mew giggled. Pikachu pulled off a green shirt off of its face and asked Mew a question that Ash was about to ask.  
  
"Why would he be in trouble tonight? All he did was save Princess Mysterious." Mew gave Pikachu a wink.  
  
"That's the problem. When Ash saved Mysterious, he showed his true nature and kindness in this world is almost as rare as pokemon are. The princess was undoubtedly impressed with Ash's actions and might decide to take it another step and in this world that means marriage vows." Ash fell over in fear.  
  
"W-What!!!!!!!" Ash roared. "That can't be true! I'm only twelve! I can't marry her!" Ash gasped in a hurry. Mew held up a hand …er paw for his silence.  
  
"I didn't say you would be married, what I said was marriage vows." Ash had a total look of confusion cross his face. "Um.. You would be betrothed." Ash's panic returned.  
  
"That's almost as bad! That means that one day I would have to marry her!" Ash squeaked in a high voice. "Mew!"  
  
"Alright! I should warn you though, even if you don't want to, she will." Ash let a small noise escape the back of his throat.   
  
"How can you be sure of that?" Ash asked hoping to be wrong.  
  
"Simple; you got rid of her attackers, brought her home and didn't try to steal her pokemon egg. In this world, that's like letting a Rocket member have a million dollars and asking them to deposit in the nearest bank for you. You're too good an offer to pass up on." Ash sat on the bed for a moment and thought about it.  
  
"I see your point. Question is what do I do about it?" Ash asked aloud. "Do I have any options open to me?" Mew copied Ash's thinking position in mid air and sighed.  
  
"The only options open to you are to go along with it and agree to marry her-" Ash quivered at that option. "-or you could disappear before anything happens." Ash didn't like that option either.  
  
"What if I could string her along? You know, talk my way out any such topics tonight and run off tomorrow." Mew sadly shook her head with a no.  
  
"Afraid it won't work. Unless something short of a miracle happens tonight, you may find yourself on the end of a promise stick." Mew said sadly. "So do you want to disappear before the party or what?" Ash sighed and picked up Pikachu.  
  
"I did promise to check on Rapidash. Maybe we can make our escape then." Ash decided that he would leave a note apologizing about his abrupt departure. Ash wrote out the note and left it on the bed. Ash peeked out the hall to see two guards at his doorway.  
  
'Not this again!' Ash thought as he surveyed the two brutes. 'It's just like at the hospital. I'm becoming a regular Houdini! I can probably go out the window but we're up a little ways so….' Ash had an idea to make a rope out of bed sheets and escape out the window. Mew kyboshed the idea.  
  
"It's too dangerous! What if you slip?! I won't be responsible for your death!" Ash scratched his head.  
  
"I can get Bulbasaur to lower me down to the ground. How's that for an escape plan?" Mew sighed and looked at his master.   
  
'Young and brave. Most would say foolish and stubborn but, I say that those are traits of a true hero.' Mew thought peacefully.  
  
"I say we go for it." Ash gave Mew a wink.  
  
"Don't worry! We'll get out of this alright. Mew return!" Mew was sucked back into the pokeball that Ash had enlarged and was placed back on his belt. Pikachu jumped from the bed and landed on Ash's back. "Come on Pikachu. We're-" Ash didn't get to finish his sentence.  
  
"Greetings Trainer." Ash turned to the voice at the door. "It is good to finally meet you in person." Ash gasped in horror. It was Gary's alternate but that wasn't the scary part. The scary part was that the voice was familiar.  
  
"We've met haven't we?" Ash growled. Pikachu saw his trainer tense and copied him.  
  
"Get lost!" Pikachu growled.   
  
"Now, that's no way to treat an old friend is it?" Ash made a fist with his right hand.  
  
"You're no friend of mine." Krofost laughed and walked into the room.  
  
"Whatever. I'm not here for the festival you know." Ash was prepared to run, hit or do both if necessary; he wasn't too fond of this guy.  
  
"Then what are you here for?" Ash asked with a growl. The answer hit him like a ton of bricks.  
  
"You of course. If I were still in my altered state, I would have tried to kill you or at the very least take control of your mind- " That was enough for Ash.  
  
"Pikachu-"   
  
"-But I'm not. So I've decided to join you on your quest to unite people and pokemon together." Ash stopped the order in mid sentence.  
  
"-thun-Pardon?" Ash asked disbelieving. Krofost laughed at Ash's confusion. "Wait a minute! You're the one that threatened my friends and me. Now you want to help me? What's going on? This has got to be some type of trick."  
  
"If you listened, I said altered state. Your real mission is not to only lead by example, but to take the first steps to unite this land. You see, everything here is controlled by a group called the council." Ash stood blankly staring at Krofost. "You may want to sit down peacemaker or you might find yourself sitting down anyway."   
  
"Huh? Peacemaker?" Ash asked dumbly. Krofost sighed.  
  
'I think I'm going to have my work cut out for me. This kid isn't getting this.' Ash sat on the bed and looked at Krofost skeptically. Ash motioned for him to sit in a chair opposite to him.   
  
"Start at the beginning." Ash ordered. Krofost found himself compelled to obey.  
  
'So it starts already.' Thought Krofost as he sat down. 'My but he's a strong one.'  
  
"Chosen one, this land is not ruled by the monarchs like it should be. There is a council that rules the entire world by controlling the monarch. They call themselves council because they are a select few people that decide everything. Pokemon are their tools to command because they control the egg selection. If a pokemon is selected to go to a monarch from the council, they alter the pokemon to listen to one voice and one voice other than the monarch." Ash looked at him skeptically.  
  
"So where do you fit in this?" Ash asked. Krofost adverted his eyes for the first time in a long time in shame.  
  
"I found out about this as a young child and wished to stop it. Needless to say, I was stopped." Ash felt a pang of sympathy for this Krofost. "I was a hero before they stopped me. A prince that defied the council, back then I was called Garnick, not Krofost. I had a wonderful companion Eevee. I learned of the egg selection the hard way." Ash could have cried for this Gary alternate. Krofost stopped talking.  
  
"What happened?" Ash asked eagerly. Krofost shook himself off and sighed.  
  
"I was changed into Krofost. I did unspeakable things under their control. You know the alternate version of me do you not?" Ash nodded. "Well the council decided to alter his personality using me because they thought him the chosen one. They still do but they could only change him a little at a time. It would not last forever though. I was too strong for their sorcerers to control and the rising power of the chosen one helped immensely." That got Ash's attention.  
  
"My power released you? How?" Ash asked out of curiosity. Gary's alternate laughed.  
  
"You really are from another world aren't you? There is a prophesy about the chosen one that is taught to our children before they can even walk.   
  
He will have passed the trails of psychic power,  
The titans and tower.  
To reach the goals of the pokemon master,  
He will have to go through a disaster.  
His life in danger all the way,  
But to no avail, will he always stay,  
The ultimate trainer of all in the world.  
The plan is now unfurled.  
Another world he will come from,  
To save our world say some."  
  
and then the words came out of Ash's mouth without thinking. It was something that had never had happened to Ash before and he was weirded out by it. It made him a bit disoriented.  
  
"With the resistance of the castles by his side,  
He will have no reason to hide.  
The frost will be first and then summer begins  
Victory is only in the eyes of those who wins.  
Chosen one will he be,  
Chosen to set both worlds free.  
One will be saved and another will be late,  
But that is the chosen ones fate." Ash finished for Krofost.   
  
"What?" Krofost asked in amazement as soon as Ash was done. "So you know the prophecy? A similarity between worlds! This is something new!" Krofost said in wonder.  
  
"I've never heard about it in my world, it just popped out." Ash said as soon as the dizzy spell passed. Krofost arched an eyebrow.  
  
'Interesting, he doesn't truly control the power. It controls him.' Pikachu suddenly alerted ash.   
  
"Ash! There's someone coming down the hall!" Ash groaned. This meant that it was time for the party and that he had missed his chance to escape. Krofost noticed his behaviour and was curious.  
  
"I can't understand him." Krofost said. Ash replied with a questioning look. "I can't understand Pikachu's words. I'm a sorcerer as well as a prince, I should be able to understand your pokemon." Ash scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"I don't know why. I think it's a affect of my bond with my pokemon." Krofost sighed. It was going to be more difficult than he thought to win this boy over.  
  
"I think it's time for the party to begin. I think this would be the best time to announce your presence to the world." Krofost said simply. Ash sat up to look Krofost in the eye when he saw a silver cloth cover his face. Ash felt a bit funny as he fully sat up and saw that he had new cloths.  
  
"What?" Ash asked Krofost. Krofost put the silver cloth back in his pocket.  
  
"Think of it as a token of good faith. I am to be your servant from now on." Ash blinked in surprise.  
  
"Uh-thanks Krofost but, I really don't need a servant." Krofost was in shock at the trainer's words. "I would like a friend though. Even though you might have been on the other side for a while, you might be the closest person that understands my situation." Krofost smiled.  
  
'I should've know. Very well then, see how long our friendship lasts. You will be here a long time.' Krofost looked at the chosen one. The silver and white garb suited him; Silver gloves, boots, belt and cape. White pants that hung loosely and a shirt that showed off his young inexperienced build. They would have to do something about that.  
  
"Before we do anything big, I think it best that we train you in the ways of this world. You're about to become the popular guy. Also don't call me Krofost, I am not Krofost anymore, I am Garnick once more." Ash smiled and held out a hand.  
  
"Friends?" Ash asked.  
  
"Friends!" Confirmed Garnick.   
  
"Can we stop in on Rapidash before we go to the party? I promised to check in on my pokemon to let it know that everything's fine." Garnick nodded.  
  
Ball room.  
  
"This had better be good!" Growled Ruby of the fire kingdom. "I had to cancel an appointment with my father for this!"  
  
"I bet it's about Mysterious's choice for a husband." Laughed Danny of the Orange sea kingdom. "I knew she would see things my way."  
  
"Yeah right! She'll be mine before she's yours." Growled Nick of the new grass kingdom. The group of boys that were squabbling over the princess Mysterious was getting on the nerves of Pewter prince Flint Brock the third. He was listening to the conversation and was sitting on a windowsill staring out into the night.  
  
'I should've stayed at home.' He thought bitterly. 'It's just going to be another one of those eat your heart out suitor bashes she gives. Father must be really desperate to get me out more.'  
  
"Helloooo" Purred a seductive voice. Brock recognized the voice that belonged to Rose of the Poison grass kingdom. He sighed, another night of putting up with her.  
  
"What do you want Rose?" He asked tiredly. Rose flipped her pink hair over her shoulder. Brock watched as her red dress swayed to an unheard beat as she approached him.  
  
"You, what else would a girl want?" She cooed. Brock sighed. He was not in the mood for politics tonight. "I heard from a reliable source that the princess had a promise stick with her tonight. Do you want to take the oath with me?" Rose asked as she slipped her arms around his neck. Brock unglued her arms gently and shook his head.  
  
"You don't give up do you? Sorry Rose, you know I'm not interested." Brock said soothingly. Rose pouted.  
  
"You'll see things my way one day. I'll wait for only so long you know." Rose said before she left. Brock looked back out into the night to see darkness.  
  
'I can't commit. Ever since I lost my pokemon, I can't feel happy and I probably won't ever again. What the?' Brock saw a pokemon being lead out of the stables. 'Whose pokemon is that?!'   
  
"Hey guys! Check this out!" Brock called to his younger group of friends.  
  
"What's up Flint?" Asked Ruby. Brock hated that name and preferred to be called Brock. He ignored it just this once and pointed to the courtyard. Gasps were heard from around the room as more people were invited to the window. The pokemon was magnificent! It was a horse-fire type pokemon that looked very well taken care of.   
  
"Whoah! Check that out!" exclaimed Danny. "It looks like a Ponyta only.."  
  
"Different." Finished Brock for Danny. The servant was unnoticed by the group and they watched as the fire pokemon was lead to the other side of the courtyard.   
  
"I'm not interested in the horse," Said a familiar voice. Brock turned to see the younger sister of Ruby; Ember. "I like the rider better." The group looked and saw a teen walking over to the horse. Dressed in sliver and white garb he was undoubtedly a prince. The shock to the group was that there was another pokemon perched on his shoulder.  
  
"What's that?" Asked Nick. Brock had seen something close to that before the rebel's war had died out. The King called Turner was of the new electric kingdom had something called a Riachu. It was a powerful pokemon that evolved from a element stone. Brock remembered the name of it's un-evolved form.  
  
"It's a Pikachu! I've never seen one but that's what it is!" Exclaimed Brock. Then the trumpets blared signaling the arrival of the princess Mysterious.   
  
Courtyard  
  
"I'm back. Miss me?" Ash called out to Rapidash. The fire type pokemon noticed the voice of its master and trotted over to Ash without the help of the servant. Ash waved his arm to dismiss the boy.   
  
"I thought I was going to have to break the doors down on that barn to get you to come out." Rapidash snorted. "You want to leave now?" Ash shook his head.  
  
"Not yet. How'd they treat you?" Ash asked. Rapidash nudged Ash for a rubbing on his face.  
  
"They didn't spoil me like you do. I think that I prefer your rubs then theirs." Ash laughed and scratched Rapidash's ears.  
  
"I think we have lost our audience." Garnick interrupted. Ash looked over at him as if he was strange and Garnick motioned to the windows. Ash looked up to see a few faces gaping at the sight in the courtyard.  
  
"I'm really not used to this yet." Ash mumbled. Ash gave Rapidash a few oats to eat that Garnick gave to him. "Stay out of trouble. I'll be back in the morning."   
  
"So we are invited to the party I take it." Garnick said. Ash sighed and walked over to the barn to put Rapidash back into his stable.  
  
"I'm invited. I don't know about you though." Ash said as he combed Rapidash with a brush. Garnick laughed.  
  
"I'm a renowned sorcerer, I can get into anyplace. Besides I'm your servant remember? A prince like you needs a manservant of some kind." Garnick explained.  
  
"One problem with that. They won't believe me because you didn't come into town with me. They might be suspicious of you." Ash said simply. Garnick stopped for a moment.  
  
"Your right about that. I suppose we could tell them all the truth. Then I wouldn't have to hide my identity. Mysterious would be thinking twice about that promise stick and you would be an instant hero. I think it would be best if we introduced the world to our chosen one." Garnick said in a smooth tone.  
  
"I don't like the idea of me being a hero." Ash said as they made their way over to the courtyard again. "I mean, I understand that I'm special but, I don't think I'm better than anyone else." Garnick looked to the doorway to the party and stopped Ash.  
  
"That's exactly why we need you. You never give a second thought about someone being you r lesser. You respect that they tried their best against you and encourage them when they don't succeed. People usually give up here because they feel too ashamed to go on." Garnick smiled and patted Ash's back. "Now lets drop peoples jaws shall we?" Ash laughed and they entered the room.  
  
'You have a kind heart and that is rare. We will do well under you.' Garnick thought as he followed Ash into the party. The party stopped as soon as they entered. 'Interesting, he hold command of attention rather easily.'  
  
"Is that the guy?" Asked an unknown voice.  
  
"Yeah! He has two pokemon." Answered another voice.  
  
"I heard he's the one that saved Mysterious." Said another voice.  
  
"No kidding! No wonder she looks this way tonight." Laughed another voice from the crowd.  
  
"Wonder who the other guy is." Said another voice. Ash ignored the questions around him and looked for a familiar face. There were people he had never met before on his adventures and some he could sworn he had.  
  
'That guy looks like Richie. And I could have sworn I battled that one over there before. I wish I was on my world." Ash sighed. This was going to be a long night. Then a movement caught Ash's eye. The royal colour of purple moved in his direction, it was the queen.  
  
"Ah am so happy that yah decided tah join us tonight. Ah never quite caught yah name last time we met." Ash smiled.  
  
"My name is Ash, your highness." Ash replied.  
  
"Ah see another new face. Who would ya'll be?" Ash saw that she was addressing Garnick. Garnick had a mischievous look on his face that momentarily scared Ash.   
  
'What are you going to do now?' Ash thought uncomfortably as Garnick cleared his voice.  
  
"Perhaps you have heard of me. I am Lord Garnick from the War of the Rebels. I am also known in my altered form as King Krofost of Fortress Field." The gasp in the room was instantiations and surprising. It was nothing compared to the gasp that echoed after Garnick finished his introduction. "And I am in the service of the chosen one, the Ultimate Trainer Ash Ketchum."  
  
"Im-impossible!" Yelled someone from the audience listening.  
  
"Are y'all trying tah tell us now that the Ultimate Trainer is somewhere in this world?" Gasped the Queen. Garnick smiled and motioned with his head toward Ash.  
  
'I should've known. Thanks Garnick!' Ash could only gat more and more uncomfortable under the gaze of everyone in the room.   
  
"Ah don't believe it! Are y'all tell'n the truth? Is he the Chosen One?" The queen asked Garnick. In response, Garnick laughed.  
  
"You don't believe me? Ash, I think a little proof is in order." Ash moaned. This meant trouble. "I think in order to prove that you're the Ultimate trainer, I think the councils Taker is in order." Taker?  
  
"Prove it!" Chanted the people in the room.  
  
"Yes! Prove it!" Voiced one above the rest. Ash looked and saw the princess walking towards him. Ash would have sat down on account of her beauty but the look on her face was one that made her look extremely unattractive; she was angry. Ash met her angry gaze like he would Misty's sometimes.  
  
"What would you have me do?" Ash asked coolly. Mysterious motioned and one of the servants went running. While that happened, Ash gave Garnick a look that said what did you get me into? While they were waiting for the Taker a buzz started among the people there.  
  
"You sent for me Princess?" Asked a man in a black hood that covered his features. Ash could see that he was someone of importance because of the jewelry on his fingers.   
  
"I want you to take this Prince's pokemon for a minute." Ash sighed. If he didn't know better he would have thought that it was Misty he was talking to.  
  
"For what purpose? I must know how strong to weave my voice." Said the faceless voice. Ash wasn't liking the talk of weave; it was too closely related to magic.  
  
"Just to get that pokemon from his shoulder to come to you. Show us that and I will see what I can do about that raise you want so badly.  
  
"It will be done!" Said the man eagerly. Ash felt Pikachu tense on his shoulder.  
  
'Mew! What do I do? Is he going to come and grab Pikachu off of my shoulder or what?' Ash sent telepathically to Mew. A telepathic response was sent in a laugh.  
  
'He plans on using his voice to get Pikachu to come to him. It won't work on account of two reasons. One, your pokemon aren't from this world so they couldn't cast the spell on them at birth. Two, you're the Ultimate Trainer; your pokemon will only obey you unless instructed to do so by you.'  
  
'That's a relief.' Ash could almost feel something in the air hovering over him as the man began to glow. Ash was physically relaxed to everyone's surprise. The man removed his hood to reveal his eyes glowing a green colour, other than that, he was a bald, faceless man.  
  
"Come here!" Pikachu looked at Ash and Ash looked at Pikachu. They both began to laugh hard, much to the amazement of the man and the audience. Garnick smiled at the surprise of the people around him.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Roared a voice in the crowd. Ash stopped laughing with Pikachu when he recognized the roar. It was the deep throaty voice of Brock. Ash turned into the crowd to see a squinting person stepping forward.  
  
"Something wrong?" Ash asked. Brock stopped in front of Ash and pointed at Garnick.   
  
"You're the sorcerer Garnick? Am I right?" Garnick nodded. "Is it possible for you to be interfering with the Takers magic." Garnick shook his head.  
  
"Nope, I can't interfere with a Takers magic. Try using the magic on another pokemon if you don't believe me." Garnick challenged. Brock or rather Brocks alternate motioned to the queen and she nodded.   
  
"Slowking dear. Come here for a moment." Ash saw the slow, lumbering pokemon make his way into the room. The Taker began to glow again.  
  
"Come here." Ash saw the pokemon go ridged and alter course to the Taker.  
  
"Slowking!" Yelled the Queen. As if oblivious to her calls, Slowking went to the Taker and sat down by his feet.  
  
"I will try again. I might have not used enough power." The man began to glow brighter and then his eyes began to glow a red colour instead of green. "Come here!" He almost shouted. Pikachu yawned and began to play with Ash's cloak; smoothing it out and bunching it up under him.  
  
"Can this guy be anymore boring?" Pikachu said. Ash laughed as the rest of the court was silent. "Can I get some sleep? I'm pretty tired."  
  
"Don't go to sleep yet, Pikachu. I think you might offend someone who's trying to get you to come to him." Pikachu yawned again and stared at the man.  
  
"I would if he had some ketchup on him." Pikachu said dreamily. Ash shook his head as soon as Pikachu shut his eyes.  
  
"I said COME HERE!" yelled the man again. Pikachu opened one eye and stuck out his tongue in a rasp. Ash and the entire court were in an uproar of laughing.  
  
"Pikachu, that's not polite." Ash scolded in a mock tone. Pikachu closed his eye and fell asleep for real this time. The man was in a trance as if he had been paralyzed. Ash turned to Garnick and smiled. "That good enough for you?"  
  
"I think you might have overdone it a bit. I think you hurt his pride." Garnick laughed. Ash turned to see that the entire room was cleared out. There was himself, Garnick, Princess Mysterious, Prince Brock, and the Taker still in the room.  
  
"Something I said?" Ash asked. Mysterious sat down abruptly on her throne and Brock did the same on a chair.   
  
"More like something you did." Replied Garnick.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  
  



	15. Chapter12

Chapter 12  
  
Ash was having trouble in this new world he was on. Ever since that the word was out that the Ultimate Trainer, or more commonly known chosen one was here, things had gone from busy to hectic! Ash was invited to parties and castles that he could scarcely imagine. It was then that the Water Kingdom was the center of a lot of attention; wanted and unwanted attention that is. When word also got out that Ash didn't know how to fight one on one with another person, that things really got busy for Ash. Ash could scarcely imagine the things you could do to another human being, quite frankly, he was only scratching the surface.  
  
'This has to be the thirteenth general that has come to me in the last six days wanting to be my teacher.' Ash grumbled in thought. Ash ducked another punch only to barely be missed by the left that came right after it. Ash didn't want anything to do with the fight but he had no choice, even the youngest of children here could take Ash down one on one. The queen had explained to him that if he ever got separated from his pokemon, it would probably be a disaster on his part because he would be easy prey so she set bouts like this up.   
  
"My, you're certainly a fast one aren't you?" Growled the soldier under the general's command. Ash had fought at least three fights per day now so the could test his attributes. Ever since Ash was a boy, he knew that he could move fast when needed and that was coming in handy right now. The only problem with fights was that Ash was unable to hit back as hard as the other guy.  
  
'I don't have enough strength to knock this guy out with a few punches so, I'll just have to rely on my stamina.' Walking around for as long as Ash did on the road helped his stamina immensely. So far, Ash had a black eye, three bruises and two tosses in the dirt from previous fights. Ash was surprised how well he was doing in this one.  
  
"Go Ash!" Cheered Pikachu from the sidelines. Ash didn't let himself be distracted by Pikachu because in the last fight, that is what got him the black eye. Ash ducked another punch and decided to try one of his own while the guy was off balance. Ash brought his right fist up and connected with the others stomach. The guy had the wind knocked out of him and he instinctively brought his arms to his stomach. Ash clasped his hands together and was about to give him a blow to the back when-  
  
"ENOUGH!" shouted a voice. Ash was startled and stopped in his tracks. The general that was watching the match stood up in anger.  
  
"Who said that?!" He demanded. Ash almost laughed at this general's angry voice. Josh Blush of the fire kingdom was an overweight pompous man with little lungs so, it sounded like a squeak rather than an intimidating growl.  
  
"You're wasting the Chosen One's precious time." A man stepped forward that Ash hadn't seen in a long time, at least in his world. It was Bruno of the Elite Four. Ash noticed some differences though, there was the unmistakable scar that ran across his forehead and his skin colour was darker but it was undoubtly him.  
  
"Bracken! What are you doing here?! You should be at the fight kingdom under Lord Channa." Growled Josh. Ash looked from one to the other, they certainly knew one another but they didn't seem friends.   
  
"I have important news for her highness Queen Jessica and I have come for the Chosen One's training." Ash would have slapped his head if he thought that this wasn't a serious matter. Here, a person's fighting abilities were almost as important as their pokemon and Ash being the Chosen One people leapt at the chance to teach him things. Garnick said one time that it was for more their honour than his.  
  
"Wh-WHAT?!! You will do no such thing! My men and I will train him!" Josh yelled in a high squeak again. Bracken folded his arms and smiled a cocky smile.  
  
"You have no choice in this matter. I must bring him to the Queen at once and then I'm to start training him. She was hoping that your training wouldn't be a repeat of all the others that have come before you." Josh's eyes narrowed dangerously. Ash was standing in-between the two rivals and had a gigantic sweatdrop on his head.   
  
"This is not going to be a good day." Ash mumbled in a small voice. "Come on Pikachu, we're going to go see the Queen again."   
  
"Right." Pikachu jumped from its perch on a chair and attached itself to Ash's shoulder. Ash collected his cape, belt and bag from their original spot on the grass. Ash then made his way to the main audience chamber where he would talk with Jessica when Bracken pulled up beside him and matched pace.  
  
"Do you want something?" Ash asked nervously. Ash was still on the uneasy side about Bracken, he may have been invited here but, he made an enemy for Ash out of Josh.  
  
"Just want to tell you what's going on. The queen has decided that in order for you to learn how to defend yourself better, you are going to need more than a general telling you what to do. You're going to need someone to show you how to do it and I am that person. Perhaps you've heard of me, I am Bracken of the fight." Bracken dipped a small bow. Ash and Pikachu sighed at the formality that was used.   
  
"I'm sorry. I'm not from around here so I wouldn't know of you. You don't have to be so formal with me. I'm Ash Ketchum by the way." Ash extended his hand that Bracken eagerly took. Ash had never felt such a strong grip.   
  
"I suppose that since you're the chosen one, I should be honoured to call you by your first name." Bracken said after they had started walking again. Ash groaned and shook his head. Bracken noticed the gesture and was concerned. "Something the matter?"  
  
"Yes and no." Ash said with a forlorn look on his face. Pikachu decided to cheer Ash up by rummaging through his backpack to find an apple he had snuck from the table that morning.  
  
"It's ether one or the other boy, which is it? Yes or no?" Bracken asked.  
  
"I'm a little sick and tired of people being nice to me because I'm the chosen one. It bothers me in the way that people are so polite to me because they think I might break. It doesn't bother me in the way that I have to worry about not having people by my side, but it makes me wonder who my real friends are." Bracken was a little taken aback from the chosen ones sudden predicament.   
  
"Can't say I know what it's like to be looked upon as weak." Bracken started to sympathize. "But, I do know what it's like to be semi-legendary to you that is. Take it with the modesty you just shown me and you'll have more dependable friends then you can imagine." Ash smiled at Bracken just before Pikachu popped out of his backpack with his prize.  
  
"You want an apple Ash? It might make you feel better." Pikachu asked. Ash looked over his shoulder and shook his head.  
  
"No thanks. You eat it Pikachu." Bracken was stopped in his tracks. "Something wrong?" Ash asked puzzled. Bracken suddenly laughed and swatted his knee.  
  
"I've been a complete fool! Of course you would be able to understand your pokemon, you're the chosen one." Bracken laughed. Ash was still in the dark until Bracken began to explain. "I thought that you being the chosen one, you would be able to command all pokemon but not able to understand them. This is quite the remarkable find. Why didn't you tell anyone about this?" Ash shrugged making Pikachu shift weight onto his bag.  
  
"No one asked. Why? Is it important?" Ash asked the laughing master of the fight.   
  
"No-no. It's just interesting to know." Bracken started to walk again and Ash followed all the way into the queen's chamber. Ash was assaulted with bright colours of fabric on table tops and sweet smells of food once he entered the chamber. Ash looked around to see the room alive with servants dashing this way and that with food, cloth and eating utensils. Ash was awed at what he saw.   
  
"There he is!" Said a voice. Ash jumped about five feet in the air when three girls came his way with bundles of cloth. Ash was about to be dragged from Bracken when his other arm was clamped down on.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" Bracken growled. One of the three girls let go of Ash to talk to Bracken.  
  
"We have a gift from the Princess for the chosen one. He must be fitted into it right away." Ash could have groaned, more cloths. Bracken sighed and began to explain before anyone could have Ash, he had to speak with the queen first. The girls pouted and agreed when Bracken promised that they could have him later.  
  
'Mew?' Ash sent telepathically to his pokeball.  
  
'What's on your mind? As if I didn't know.' Mew giggled. Ash followed Bracken around trying to find the queen.  
  
'What happens now? I'm here in this world but I don't know how to save it. I'm not even sure if I'm helping any.' Ash's response from Mew was cut off when he heard an-  
  
"Now there's ya'll are! Ah've been look'n for ya'll since daybreak." Ash heard the unmistakable southern accent of the queen and sighed.  
  
"I've been on the training grounds." Was Ash's reply.  
  
"Ah suppose ya'll have been! Look at those cloths! Why, they are just practically full of grit! Don't ya'll take this personally, but ah hope ya'll clean up before supper." Ash sighed and nodded. Every time he talked with the queen now she acted more like a mother and less like a queen.  
  
"Your ladyship." Bracken started. The queen then noticed the man on the floor and smiled. Ash didn't even notice that he had kneeled.   
  
"There ya'll are Bracken! Ah was wondering when you'd show your charming face around herah. Ah want you to look after this young'n till he can take care of himself. Do ya'll think you can do that?" Bracken smiled and replied with another formal yes your ladyship. "Good. See ya'll tonight then." Ash was left to the three girls mercy. After an embarrassing clothes fitting that consisted of talking like Ash wasn't even there, he stormed out to see Rapidash.  
  
'Girls!' Ash thought embarrassed remembering their conversation.  
  
"This is the very best of Mysterious's fabric."   
  
"He's very lucky that she doesn't need it for her dress for tonight."  
  
"That dress she has now is going to blow him over."  
  
"That is if she has it on for that long." Giggles burst out between the girls and Ash turned a nice shade of red.  
  
'Always giggling about something. What did they mean by if she wears it for that long? If they think that I'm going to be distracted by an alternate of Misty they're sadly-' Ash turned the corner to the stables to see a small mob of guys around the stable. 'What's going on here?' Ash thought as he came nearer. A prince with a Meowth by his side poked someone next to him and whispered.  
  
"What's going on here!" Ash demanded. When no one spoke, Ash made his way through the crowd into the stable and found Mysterious staring right back at him. "Mysterious?" Ash asked skeptically. The princess was in the most beautiful white dress he had ever seen and was brushing Rapidash.  
  
"Hello Ash." She said in a soft voice. Ash would have blushed if he knew what her intentions were but, since he was unaware that this was what Mysterious had in mind, Ash walked over to her.   
  
"What are you doing?" Ash asked more than perturbed because someone else was taking care of Rapidash.  
  
"What does it look like?" Mysterious asked. Ash didn't notice that she was batting her eyes at him and moving closer.  
  
"You shouldn't be in here. Besides, I was going to brush Rapidash today." Ash growled. Mysterious waved the brush around in her hand.  
  
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to get some more experience with other pokemon before mine hatches." Ash then realized something.  
  
"When is it going to hatch?" Ash asked excited.   
  
"Who knows? I have had it for three years now." Ash visibly was shocked. Togepi hatched out in less than six months.  
  
"THREE years?" Ash asked disbelieving.  
  
"Yes. Why is there something wrong?" Ash caught himself before he did anything else stupid. Mysterious smiled and thought that her plan was working. Ash shook his head and felt a bit embarrassed.  
  
"Nothing. Wait! Where's your pokemon now?" Ash asked looking around for the egg. Mysterious set down the brush and grabbed his hand.  
  
"In the loft. Want to check up on it with me?" Ash felt something in the back of his mind go off. It said warning! Warning! Female is up to something!  
  
"Why did you leave it up there all alone? Something might have happened to it by now. Pikachu." Ash motioned over to his pokemon.   
  
"Yeah?" Pikachu replied. Pikachu was up on Rapidash's shoulder looking at the obvious. Pikachu still couldn't believe Ash was in denial about this Mysterious girl. Pikachu asked Ash about her and all Ash could say was there's no way she could be interested in him.   
  
"Go check upstairs for her egg." Pikachu jumped down from Rapidash and made his way up to the loft. Once Ash was semi-alone with Mysterious she began phase two.  
  
"Are you sure Pikachu will be able to handle my egg? It is awfully big. Maybe we should give it a hand or something." Ash looked at the steep latter Pikachu went up.   
  
'Uhh Ash?' Sent Mew.  
  
'What?' Ash sent back.  
  
'DON'T DO IT!' Ash was startled by his pokemon's sudden outburst and asked the obvious question of.  
  
'Why not?' Ash sent back to Mew.  
  
'Once alone in a hayloft with a Princess, no matter from which land here, could overpower you in seconds.' That got Ash's attention.  
  
"I think Pikachu can handle it. Besides, you wanted to know more about pokemon right? Well I can tell you a few things that you might not know." Ash said quickly.  
  
'Nice save.' Sent Mew.  
  
'We'll talk about this later.' Ash sent back. Mysterious began to panic; her plan wasn't going so well.   
  
"Your sure that Pikachu will be able to find my egg? I hid it up there pretty good." Mysterious asked quickly. Mew could have chuckled.  
  
"I'm positive. Now the way your supposed to brush Rapidash is not in a circle, but in clean sweeps from the back like this." Ash captivated his audience when he showed her by example. Ash handed the brush to her. "You try." Mysterious took the brush and followed his example.  
  
"Like this?" Mysterious asked. Ash heard Pikachu scamper upstairs and relaxed. Then Ash noticed that she was stopping short of the long stroke he had showed her.  
  
"Longer strokes." Ash said.   
  
"How much longer?" She asked. Ash didn't think about it until later when he reached over to take the brush to show her how it was done when…  
  
"PIKAPI!" Mysterious pretended to be startled and tripped into Ash's outstretched arm. Mysterious felt strong arms keep her from falling and inwardly sighed.  
  
"Careful." Ash warned. Mysterious was in Ash's arms and she didn't want to be let go. Mysterious was brought out of her daydreams when Ash let go of her. "Pikachu? What's going on up there?" Ash asked.   
  
"Get Mysterious up here! The egg has hatched!" Ash paled a bit.  
  
"What?!" Ash grabbed onto Mysterious's hand and she gasped.   
  
"What's wrong?" She said as she blushed. Ash dragged her towards the ladder before answering.  
  
"Pikachu just told me that your egg is hatching!" Ash said in a panic. Mysterious let the thought hit her like a ton of bricks. Her very own egg was hatching without her! Ash practically ran up the ladder with a princess in tow and came up in a hayloft. Pikachu was jumping up and down.  
  
"Hurry!" Pikachu growled and ran towards one of the corners. Ash helped the princess up and ran to see an egg bouncing around. Mysterious gasped and ran to it's side. Ash forced himself to stand off to the side so the pokemon would see Mysterious first.  
  
"Here it comes!" Mysterious said as another violent shudder rocked her egg. The egg gave way to a blue pokemon.  
  
"Marril!" It said. Ash smiled. If he had his pokedex, he would have opened it up to collect the data on this little Marril. Mysterious was dead silent. Ash put a hand on her shoulder and laughed.  
  
"Looks like you got a Marril. Congratulations!" Ash said cheerfully. Mysterious felt a tear fall from her cheek to the Marril. She could scarcely believe she had her very own pokemon. Then she remembered why she was up here and blushed. Then, they both heard a thump and Ash groaned. They both peeked their heads up over the hay to see the top of the ladder missing.  
  
'Eeep! Ash? You're in trouble!' Mew sent telepathically. Ash then realized that he had just done what Mew had told him not to do. Ash turned and saw Mysterious dusting herself off as she picked up a Marril.  
  
"Tired." The Marril said as it closed it's eyes. Ash thought he saw Pikachu shake his head and disappear into the hay.  
  
"This is great." Ash said in an annoyed tone. "How do we get down now?" Ash asked as he stood over the hole in the floor. Mysterious set her Marril down in the hay and went over to Ash. Ash felt something tingle when her hand met with his. Ash didn't know what was happening until he was on his back in the hay with Mysterious over him.  
  
"You don't do anything." She said in a whisper. "I don't want to be rescued just yet." She giggled. Ash blushed a deep red as she leaned over and kissed him. It was a long and vibrant kiss that made Ash shudder. It was like someone had cut his cords, he couldn't move.  
  
'Told you, you were in trouble.' Mew sent telepathically. Ash couldn't believe what was happening!  
  
'Mew! What do I do?' Ash sent in a telepathic yelp. Mysterious moved onto Ash's midsection and began to kiss harder. Mew sighed and then sent an answer that was clever and yet devious.   
  
'What you do is thank me later.' Mew sent out a telepathic ball of energy that picked Marril up and dropped it to wake it up.  
  
"Marrrrrrril!" Marril began to cry. Mysterious began to panic.   
  
'No! Please not now!' She silently begged her pokemon. Ash unwrapped her legs from around his waist and broke off the kiss.  
  
"I think someone's hungry." Ash said in a hurry. Mysterious felt herself sigh and get up. Marril was picked up and settled down. Mysterious saw Ash grab a rope from somewhere and stopped.   
  
'He's going to get down now! Curse it!' Mysterious growled at herself. Ash was still in a deep shade of maroon from the kiss when he fastened one end of the rope to a support beam and the other to his waist.   
  
"I'll put the ladder back up for you." Ash said quickly. Ash let himself down gently and put up the ladder. Mysterious came down with Marril in hand. "Pikachu! Time to go!" Ash called out. Pikachu came running from under a pile of hay and jumped from the floor onto Ash's shoulder. Then a moment of uncomfortable silence ensued for Ash.  
  
"You don't have to be so kind to me you know." Mysterious suddenly said. Ash gave her a questioning look. "You've already proven how kind a person you can be. Think of that kiss as a reward and of better things to come. Until tonight." Mysterious walked out of the stable and Ash could only stare. The crowd had dispersed and Ash was left alone with his pokemon.  
  
"I suppose you were off looking for a way out of there when she got me." Ash said sarcastically to Pikachu. Pikachu didn't respond. "And I also suppose that the ladder just got toppled by the wind too." Pikachu finally couldn't hold it in anymore.  
  
"Mumph! You two make a cute couple. I had to set you up." Ash picked Pikachu from his shoulders and stared him in the eyes.  
  
"And what is that supposed to mean?!" He growled. Mew decided to get in on the conversation.   
  
'I warned you.' Ash was interrupted.   
  
"I didn't think that her pokemon would hatch on us! It was an accident that I went up there to bring her to her egg!" Ash growled out loud.  
  
'Just be more careful from now on. If she had decided to have you then and there, she could have. Thank me for saving your butt.' Ash sighed. This was going to be a major problem.  
  
"About that. What did she do up there? It felt like someone had snapped all control I had over myself." Mew giggled.  
  
'Well, at least we know that she truly loves you.' Ash paled a navy blue of panic. 'A princess has the ability to control and manipulate her loves body like she did to you. It was passed down to her to help with the mating process between a King and Queen, births are harder to make happen on this world. If she didn't love you, she would have no power over you but apparently she does.' Ash dropped Pikachu.  
  
"Ouch!" Pikachu said with a thundershock. Ash didn't even feel the jolt of electricity, he was in too much shock already.   
  
"She can't possible love me already! She hardly knows me! I'm too young to be thinking these things!" Ash groaned. Mew and Pikachu were having fun.  
  
"Ash, time doesn't matter to the heart. You're a very easy person to love." Pikachu said with a grin.   
  
'Besides, in this world, you are the proper age to be thinking about these things.' Mew sent telepathically.  
  
'Pardon?!' Ash sent back. Mew sighed and began to explain.  
  
'On this world, people have shorter life spans. Therefore, the faster you die, the faster you must have children.' Ash fell down on the floor with a thump. Pikachu waved a paw in front of Ash's face.  
  
"I'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND WOMEN!" Ash growled. Ash collected himself and stormed out of the stable to crash into Garnick. "Sorry!" Ash apologized. Garnick dusted himself off and got up.  
  
"You're a hard person to find." Garnick stopped short. "OH NO! Mysterious didn't!" Garnick groaned. Ash was surprised of how he knew about this and went immediately scarlet.   
  
"Umm, well." Ash started. Garnick began to fire questions at him before he could say another word.  
  
"Well what happened? Did she give you the promise stick? I must know to tell her highness." Ash blushed a deeper crimson.  
  
"She caught me off guard in the hayloft and gave me a kiss." Ash said embarrassed. Gary let out a sigh of relief.   
  
"Is that all? Geez! I thought she something else. No need to be embarrassed over a kiss!" Garnick teased. Ash hung his head a little. Garnick looked perplexed for a moment. "Something the matter?" Ash turned a deeper crimson if it was possible.   
"I wasn't a real girl chaser back home. This is the first time someone's chased me and I don't know what to do." Ash said quietly. It took a second for it to register to Garnick what Ash was saying.  
  
"You mean that was your first kiss?" Garnick asked incredulously. Ash nodded and Gary let out a whoop of laughter. "Boy are you in trouble! Mysterious is going to chew you up and spit you out. That girl is really too much. I'd be careful if I was you. I was on my way to find you and tell you that I won't be able to attend the party tonight. I've got some things to work out. Catch you later if Mysterious hasn't already."   
  
"Very funny wise guy!" Ash growled after Garnick. Ash was on his way to his room when he ran into Bracken coming out of his room. "What were you doing in my room?" Ash asked Bracken as soon as he spotted him.  
  
"Looking for you. Come, it's time that you got yourself ready for the party. A change of cloths and a bath would suit you best." Ash laughed and walked right by Bracken into his room. Inside Ash grabbed the stone that Garnick provided him with for just these occasions. In a flash of white radiance, Ash was cleaned up and was put up in a new set of garments. Bracken was in total and absolute shock.  
  
"A present from Garnick. It saves me the trouble of having to get cleaned up all the time." Ash walked out the door followed by Bracken. Ash then remembered something else. "Pikachu, when did the queen say we were supposed to go to this party?"  
  
"I don't know." Answered Pikachu. "Maybe we have a few minutes to ourselves. Want to go to the roof?" Ash nodded at the idea. The roof of the castle was the best place to be in the whole castle. It was private, quiet and was the only place where Ash could open up the other pokeballs. Ash had decided that he would rather have a few aces up his sleeve like his pokemon for example, than be taken without a surprise.   
  
"Good idea." Ash then made his way up the stairs to the balcony. When Ash reached the top he heard voices. They were hardly audible but he could still make them out.  
  
"Do you think he suspects anything?" Growled a voice Ash recognized as the Taker. Ash then heard another voice he didn't recognize.   
  
"If he does, it's too late to act now." Ash was stopped in his tracks. They could be talking about him. "Krofost is a fool and an old fool at that. When he looks into the magical business for tonight's activities, he'll be in for quite a shock. Literally!" Ash was relieved that they weren't talking about him but realized that they were talking about Garnick.  
  
"So he won't know what hit him eh? I never did like that stuck up sorcerer. Have you figured out yet how he blocked my spell?" There was a moment of silence. Ash thought that they might be moving toward the door but before he could move, the other voice piped up again.  
  
"No. It's almost impossible for anyone to block a Takers spell. He must have some new magic that we haven't found out about yet. Is it a possibility that this fraud truly is the chosen one?" Ash heard a snort from the Taker.  
  
"Hardly!" he scoffed. "That kid doesn't know how to handle himself let alone a pokemon. I've seen pillows that hit harder than that young kid." Ash was furious but he did have a point. Compared to some of the giant muscle bounded creeps here, he was a creampuff.  
  
"It is time I parted." Said the other voice. There was a scuffle of feet and Ash hid behind the door as it opened. Ash immediately recognized the voice now. It was one he heard over and over again repeating a stupid motto. It was James's counterpart in this world.  
  
"What about this fraud?" Asked the Taker. They both stopped for a moment.  
  
"Kill him at the feast tonight." Ash begged for them not to turn around and spot him. Then he heard footsteps going down the stairs and he let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Pikachu? I think we're in trouble." Ash said aloud. "Let's find Garnick and Bracken right away!"  
  
The feast.  
  
"I really don't like this plan!" Ash growled. Ash was in the middle of the entire feast pretending to be having a good time. Bracken and Garnick were to either side of him trying not to laugh at Ash's predicament. Ash was supposedly drunk and had a pretty Mysterious on his lap. It was easy to pretend Ash was drunk because of his red face.  
  
"Hush up or you'll blow everything!" Growled Bracken. Ash was not amused. He had found Bracken and Garnick later and told him what he had overheard. They had come up with a plan to get the fiends out of hiding and were hoping they would slip up.   
  
"And I suppose this was your idea?" Ash growled at Garnick gesturing at Mysterious. Garnick pretended Ash had told a very good joke and let out a belly laugh.  
  
"Nope." Ash could have sworn he saw Mysterious smile a bit.   
  
'Great, this is all her doing. The more I get to know this Mysterious, the more I think she's not Misty's alternate.' Mysterious giggled and held out her glass for more wine. Ash leaned forward and whispered in her ear.  
  
"Are you really getting drunk or is this an act?" Ash demanded in a low voice. Mysterious let out a small smile and laughed like he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear. An arm went around his neck and she began to play with his hair.  
  
"What do you think?" Mysterious replied. Ash let out a small hiss as she planted a small kiss on his cheek.   
  
"This is my life you're playing with." Ash growled. Mysterious laughed and tugged on his hair. Before Ash could react there was a loud whoop from his audience as a kiss was firmly placed on his lips. Mysterious was drunk as a skunk and Ash knew it, her breath gave her away.   
  
"Cut that out you two. There'll be plenty of time for that later." Bracken laughed. According to plan, Ash was going to stand up and announce that he was retreating early to bed before schedule. That would force the killers to act sooner and hopefully that would force them to make a mistake. It didn't turn out that way.  
  
"Greetings people of the Water kingdom." A voice bellowed from behind the festival walls. Ash recognized the voice and hit Bracken and Garnick on the arms. That was the signal that something was wrong. "I am General James of the council and I have come to do business with her majesty the Queen." Doors flew open and there stood James and the Taker. Ash felt Mysterious get up off of his lap and down by his feet.  
  
"Ah am sorry kind sir, but business has been closed for tahday. Tis ah festival day." Queen Jessica openly said for all to hear. "Come ya'll and join us in thas herah joyus accasion." James's eyes narrowed and he growled.  
  
"I'm sorry your highness but we're not here for the festival. I'm sorry to announce that this festival is over." James said in a cruel voice.  
  
"You can't do that!" Yelled a nobleman from the audience. James smiled.  



	16. Chapter12part2

Chapter 12part 2  
  
"I just did. Seize the fraud and the magician!" Ash jumped to his feet as men poured from all sides. As was surrounded within seconds. There were so many all the guards were overwhelmed and so were the noblemen. This was not in the plan.  
  
"I didn't think that there would be this many." Bracken growled. Ash felt Garnick being taken from the group. Ash watched as Garnick was taken to James.  
  
"You thought you could just retire without the council's permission? Very stupid Krofost." Garnick spat in James's eye.  
  
"I'm not Krofost anymore! I'm Garnick!" James's hand went to his sword as a pokeball was thrown. Materialized before James was a figment of many nightmares before him, a demon of unimaginable horror. A yellow streak was seen bolting across the room as the other set of doors flew open to reveal a steed of red. The room was dead silent in shock on both sides of the battlers. Then a voice was heard.  
  
"Charizard! Rapidash! Flamethrower now!" A mighty roar was heard as people fled in fear of the terror. Fire and electricity were thrown in the direction of the cowering people who had rudely interrupted the feast.   
  
"I've never had this much fun in a long time." Charizard laughed as he picked up a soldier and threw him at others. Charizard swung his tail to catch a large group of soldiers from behind.  
  
"Don't let it go to you head." Growled Pikachu. "Our goal is to protect Ash." Charizard grunted an I know and went back to work. Ash surprised everyone on both sides. They had never seen Ash in a real battle before now and saw him at his highest point.  
  
"Pikachu! To your left! Thundershock! Charizard! There's a group to your right! Watch for the guy in blue, he had a double sword! Rapidash! Go after the General!"   
  
"Ash behind!" Ash turned to see a large man with a battle-axe headed straight for him. Ash didn't have time to think, he just reacted. The man didn't have time to even spit before Ash hit him the first time. Ash didn't have to hit him a second time. Ash's fist came up and connected with the jaw and he was lifted three feet in the air in the opposite direction. Ash stood there for a second in mute shock.  
  
"Now that is impressive!" Said a voice. Ash turn to see Bracken smiling with a guy in one hand and a fist thumping him. "I underestimated you kid!" Ash remembered what Darrel said. Then Ash realized something; everyone always did underestimate him. Then there was silence in the grand hall.  
  
"Where's mah daughter?!" Queen Jessica asked in the silence. Ash almost totally forgot about her! Ash pulled up the table cover to reveal a sleeping beauty and her Marril. "Thank heavens!" Ash returned Charizard into the pokeball and sighed. A scuffle of feet was heard next as Garnick arrived with Ash's Rapidash and a prisoner.   
  
"Looks like I missed all the fun!" Garnick was proudly sporting a nice prisoner of General James and he wasn't too happy neither.  
  
"You'll pay for this humiliation!" James spat at Ash. Garnick gave him a good swift kick in the ribs to shut him up. Ash winced at the violent scuffling and manhandling of James as they took him away to the dungeons. Then, there was a real celebration in Ash's honour. Ash didn't feel like celebrating.  
  
"Now what was that trick you did to call upon that magnificent beast? It happened too close to me to catch it." Garnick asked. Ash wasn't paying attention.  
  
"What was that?" Ash mumbled back to Garnick. Garnick sighed and slumped in his chair. Bracken noticed and laughed.  
  
"You should know better than to bother the boy now Garnick. That was a fine battle he put up. You should be grateful, he saved your life." Bracken gave Ash a good thump on the back. Ash sighed and held onto Pikachu.  
  
'What's the matter chosen one?' Mew asked Ash telepathically. Ash looked around to see who had addressed him and mentally scolded himself for not realizing that it was Mew.  
  
'The cat's out of the bag now. The council will be forced to find me and destroy any threats they find and that includes you.' Ash sent back to Mew. Garnick suddenly stood tall in his chair again and rang on his cup for silence.  
  
"I want everyone's attention! Today we have seen a rare treat. The chosen one in actual battle! I think this is the perfect opportunity to announce our plans to go and journey the lands. The time of prophecy has arrived and we are joyously going to visit the lands to announce his presence to the world. Ashura Satoshi Ketchum is the chosen one and he is here!" A large roar came from the grand hall as people yelled in joy. Ash however, was not amused.  
  
'I'm no hero. Why are people treating me like one?' Ash thought to himself. That was the plan but Ash thought it was still too soon to put it into action! Ash was going to have a talk with Garnick. Garnick held up his hands for silence. 'What now?' Ash thought as he saw Garnick grin a smile of pure joy.  
  
"Before we do that however, as we saw tonight, their will always be those who will oppose him. Let the message be spread that as his guide on this journey I am looking for an elite squad to protect the chosen one. If he is to bring pokemon and humans together he must be protected. For the pokemon and us!"   
  
"For pokemon and us!" Echoed the mob. Then the crowd dispersed into the streets. Ash was left with Bracken, Garnick, the Queen and a sleeping Mysterious.   
  
"So when was that discussed in the plan?" Ash asked annoyed. Garnick gave Ash a wink and smiled.  
  
"Just helping the plans along faster. There wouldn't be a crowd like that here even if you called a royal summons of the people. It was the perfect opportunity to get the message out." Bracken came up behind Garnick and ruffled the sorcerer's hair.  
  
"Between me and you, this war will be over in days." Bracken said with a laugh. Ash was about to say something when he stopped. This was a war Ash was going to have to fight.  
  
'The things I do for people.' Ash thought with a grumble as he retired for the night. It had been a long day after all.   
  
A week later  
  
"I can't believe it!" Ash gasped. Out below him were all the candidates to become his elite guard. There was a sea of faces below him that filled up past the gates. "Your not serious!" Ash said in awe. "All these people want to be my guards? There's so many"  
  
"Many will try, not all will succeed." Bracken said with a grin. Ash sighed inwardly. Bracken was to train Ash so he was appointed Ash's personal general by Garnick's advice. Garnick was appointed his wizard and vizier. "Time to encourage them to do their best." Ash nodded and stepped forward. Oddly, Ash wasn't afraid of public speaking.  
  
"Young warriors and veterans, I am Ashura Satoshi Ketchum, the chosen one." A murmur went up from the crowd. "I come before you not as a hero or legend, but as a person who wishes for nothing more than to run away from speaking up here like this."  
  
"What are you doing!?" Demanded Garnick in a whisper. Ash smiled because this wasn't the speech that Garnick had prepared for Ash. A small roar of laughter came from the crowd below.   
  
"I am however, not going to lie to you or promise you anything fancy. My very existence here has threatened the very order of things as you know it." Dead silence entered the courtyard. "This is the time of change and as the person bringing that change I feel it is my responsibility to tell you all that my life will be in danger all the time. The people looking for a challenge that will possibly threaten their very lives can go home right now because I'm not looking for people who would throw their lives away for me. I'm looking for people who are willing to make a change at any price and if it means death so be it. I'm willing to see this change through to the end and I want people who are willing to do the same." The silence that echoed through the crowd was unnerving. Then one voice broke the silence.   
  
"I will join you!"  
  
"I will too!" Then a mighty roar leapt from the mob and Ash felt himself smile. A chant started up from the crowd.  
  
"ASHURA! CHOSEN ONE! ASHURA!" Ash turned back his attention to his friends behind him expecting a scolding from Garnick. Ash met with an astonishing sight; Bracken and Garnick were …weeping!  
  
"Uhh- I guess that answers my question." Ash said with a laugh. Garnick gave Ash a scowl and wiped away his tears.  
  
"Where did you learn to speak like that?!" Bracken demanded. Ash gave a shrug.   
  
"A friend of mine always said that the best spoken words come from the heart. It was spur of the moment." Mouths gaped open and Ash sweatdropped. "You know I could get used to this." Ash said with a little snicker in his voice. Ash was then supposed to ride Rapidash while checking out the recruits but that wasn't for a while yet.   
  
"We have work to do. If you would excuse us Ash???????????" Garnick did something like teleport down to the ground level with Bracken. Ash watched the people disperse and sighed, he envied their freedom of choice. Ash didn't have much choice in matters now. It was either black or white, yes or no. There was no grey or maybe.   
  
'I've had enough of being cooped up in this castle. I want to go and see something other than grey walls.' Ash sent telepathically to Mew.   
  
'I don't see why you can't. No ones going to need you for a while and you deserve a break. We could creep up to the roof.' Ash thought about it for a while and decided that it was a good idea.   
  
'Lets go.' Ash giggled and a few minutes later, Ash found himself up on the roof with his pokemon out of their balls. Minus Rapidash of course, Pikachu and Mew were nuzzling Ash when he heard footsteps.   
  
"Yipe! Everyone return. Dragonite, Charizard, Tauros, Kingler, Bulbasaur, and Mew were sucked back into their balls. Ash barely had enough time to hide behind some of the roof before the person entered.  
  
"See I told you no one comes up here." Said a familiar voice. Ash recognized the voice as belonging to Tracey. Ash waited patiently for the other person to speak.   
  
"You brought me up here for what purpose?" Ash gulped down a squeak. It was the Princess Mysterious.  
  
"I would like to resign my commission as the general here. I want to follow the Chosen One." There was a silence for a moment. "I've arranged for an adequate replacement. My father is coming to take my place within the week."  
  
"It's not that. It's just that-Tracey would you swear a knights vow?" Tracey gasped for a moment. "I know this is a lot to ask of you but would you vow to protect the Chosen One no matter what? That is the only way I will allow this." There was a sigh of relief.  
  
"I thought you wanted something more. I have already made that vow my princess, to your mother." It was Ash's turn to be surprised. There was a clatter coming up the stairs and a thud at the doorway.  
  
"Princess! Have you seen the Chosen One? He's gone!" Ash groaned it was Bracken. "He was supposed to meet us to survey the troops! He didn't show up!" Ash heard someone gasp and then there was another clatter down the stairs. When Ash crept back to the roof balcony, there was no one there.  
  
"I chose you! Charizard!" Ash flung out his orange fire type and snickered. "Hey Charizard, want to scare the natives?" Ash gave a wink to his pokemon. Charizard returned Ash's smile and leaned over so Ash could get on.   
  
"W-W-What's th-th-th-that?!!!!" Squeaked a voice. All the men lined up for inspection looked up to see something flying!   
  
"YAAAAA!" The line backed off from Ash and Charizard when they skimmed over the men. When Ash landed he was very sour.  
  
"Alright! Listen up!" Ash bellowed acting like the leader they needed. When it was clear that no one's attention was on Ash he recalled Charizard. Once Charizard was back in his ball, all eyes were on Ash. Ash let out a high-pitched whistle calling Rapidash and everyone heard the ruckus in the stables.   
  
"Look at that!" All the men stared at the direction the horse pokemon was coming from. When Rapidash stopped in front of Ash, there was a gasp.  
  
"Yes, the pokemon belong to me and you had best get used to them. If you're the lot that's coming with me, then you'll be seeing a lot of them. That is if you pass my generals inspection, which I guarantee won't be easy." There was a moment of silence. "They won't harm you unless you come in direct contact with them. If they're by themselves, leave them be. They will only be out of my presence when doing an errand for me. I expect my pokemon to be respected at all times. IS THAT CLEAR?!"  
  
"Yes sir!" Echoed the men.   
  
"Good! I'll leave you to Bracken then." Ash had spotted the man a few yards down to his right. Bracken shook his head at Ash and walked in front of Rapidash.   
  
"Garnick wants to see you in the tent." Bracken said before turning his attention over to the soldiers. Ash galloped in the direction of the tent as soon as Bracken barked the first orders. Ash got off of Rapidash in front of a great big green tent.  
  
"Garnick? You in here?" Ash paused at the door. There were about thirty people in the tent all nervous and Garnick was talking to them.  
  
"-instructed in the best of both sides of the mysterious arts. You are the chosen few who can become sorcerers for our -Chosen one, I didn't expect you to see you so soon." All eyes were adverted to Ash and he sighed.  
  
"You wanted me for something?" Ash asked puzzled. There were murmurs and nudged ribs when Ash walked into plain view.  
  
"Ah, yes. I was wondering if you would join me for a little experiment." Garnick was ruffling through some cloths when he seemed to find something.  
  
"What kind of experiment?" Ash asked raising an eyebrow. Garnick simply smiled and pulled a course clear stone from the cloth.   
  
"It's not an experiment really. It's more like a test. It occurred to me the other day that you're the only person in this camp that hasn't been tested to see if you have the ability to learn magic." Ash rubbed his head nonchantly.   
  
"Don't I have enough on my plate as is? Bracken is going to be chewing me up and spitting me out with physical training. I don't think I would have the energy to handle magic training too." Ash said in a moan.  
  
"Nonsense! When you travel with sorcerer's you simply create a portal to where you want to go. We'll simply be camping out on someone's doorstep all the time. Now put your hand out." Ash gave Pikachu a worried glance before stretching his hand out. Garnick simply closed his eyes and Ash felt a warm tingling feeling shoot up his arm.   
  
'This feels weird.' Ash thought to himself. Then the tingling accelerated to a sharp pain. When Garnick dropped the stone, Ash had to literally dive to save it.   
  
"Watch it!" Ash yelled as he saved the crystal. No one in the room moved or said anything for a moment. Everyone but Ash and Pikachu realized what just happened.   
  
"Ash?" Garnick whispered after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. Ash got up off the floor and dropped the stone into Garnick's hands.  
  
"I take it that I -" Ash was about to say failed miserably but stopped when he saw Garnick's excitement.   
  
"Oh! You are going to be one busy guy for the next few months." Ash let out a moan and Pikachu did the same. "Very busy indeed."  
  
And so time passes…..  
  
Author note: Me again. Sorry about the long wait, finals! YOU'VE GOT TO HATE THEM! I would like to take this opportunity to tell people out there in cyber land that my next part of this story is going up in a part 2 the Ultimate Trainer. I mean twelve chapters is enough for any story. I'm working on another story that'll knock your socks off! Watch for it.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or anything related to pokemon. Pokemon and its associated characters are copyrighted by Nintendo/Game Freak. This is a pokemon fanfic created by my mind only.  



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